Across The Multiverse
by EthernalRain
Summary: My name is Kouhei Takeda. I happen to be the latest and quite possibly doomed apprentice of the grand magician, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. I'm a second-rate magus, and my master wants to take me on a road trip across the multiverse. Just my luck...
1. Chapter 1: Another World

**Across The Multiverse**

**Chapter 1**

**Another World**

* * *

><p><em><strong>My name is Kouhei Takeda. I happen to be the latest and quite possibly doomed apprentice of the grand magician, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. I'm a second-rate magus, and my master wants to take me on a road trip across the multiverse... Just my luck...<strong>_

_**An OC AU Nasuverse Fanfiction.**_

**It involves Zelretch, so the above is to be expected. I'm surprised we don't see many fics regarding the man, his canon existence basically green-lights most AUs. But then again, he doesn't have much of a presence in Fate/Stay Night other than the Heaven's Feel route, and he shows up a slight bit more in Tsukihime. **

**Throughout this project of mine, my OC, Kouhei Takeda, will travel with his new master to various places in the multiverse, which means various alternate realities where things will not be the same. In the process, there shall be copious amounts of character development, humor, swearing is to be expected, fanservice, action, and whatever a road trip across the multiverse can bring.**

**Each trip will end up with Kouhei and Zelretch returning to Kouhei's home world, where they'll review their trip, reflect, and brush up on extra character development for his relationships with various characters.**

The universes they visit are primarily of Fate/Stay Night and its related games, but there will be some chapters dedicated to other parts of the Nasuverse. I'm currently debating whether to keep it here, or move it to the crossover section.

**So for the first chapter…**

**Welcome to Possible Nasuverse Universe #7692.**

**Please enjoy your stay.**

**Beware of various spoilers.**

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>Kouhei. Wake up." A woman's voice murmured to me.<strong>_

"_**Mommy?"**_

"_**Put on a jacket. We have to go." Her voice seemed urgent.**_

"_**Where's Daddy?"**_

"_**Daddy can't come with us." Now her voice seemed afraid.**_

"_**Why?"**_

_**There was a thrashing sound. "YURIKO! OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!"**_

"_**Just stay quiet, Kouhei." Mother pleaded.**_

_**The sound of the door smashing open… The screams and wails of a dying woman… The feeling of fear pouring through my soul. And the feeling of shock as my assailant, my father, died with a knife in hand and a sword in his chest.**_

"_**Are you okay son?" An aged face smiled at me, as if relieved that I was okay.**_

"_**W-Who are you?"**_

_**A wrinkled hand gripped my shoulder, helping me up. **_

"_**Risei. Kotomine Risei."**_

* * *

><p>I felt my nose crinkle, as the smell of something snaps me back into consciousness. That dream… That memory… I haven't experienced that in a long, long time. Wait… That smell… It was familiar…<p>

Something burning?

My eyes snap open, as I push myself up from where I had slept. I had decided to take a short nap, while waiting for the results of my alchemical experiment. My experiment was on fire. The stubby little test tube was up in flames, randomly colored puffs of smoke rising from the opening of the volatile little tube. Oh fuck.

I grab a fire extinguisher from the wall, various runes activating to protect my notes and other work. I spray the miniature blaze with the extinguisher, sending foam flying all over the place. This was the third accident this week! At this rate, I'll never master alchemy well enough to make a homunculus!

"Kouhei, did you set something on fire again?" A voice called to me.

"Um… No?"

"Kouhei, God doesn't like liars."

"… Okay, I did."

I hear a sigh. "Just get ready for school."

I mutter incomprehensively as I work on cleaning up my workshop. It's not so big, just a few shelves, a table used for various experiments, and a storage room for stuff. Once I get enough money, I'll order a specimen tube from Clock Tower and start creating my homunculus. It's probably going to be a guy.

I don't want to have to explain to my father and sister why I have a naked girl floating in tube in my workshop. Actually, it's going to be as equally awkward if it's a naked guy. So maybe I'll make it an animal based homunculus. A dog would be nice.

After cleaning away all the foam, I sit down or the table amongst my experiments. This isn't going so well. I've got my father's notes regarding the subject, and I've managed to handle other the branches of thaumaturgy well enough, or at least decently. I just suck at contemporary alchemy.

That wounds my pride a bit.

I walk over to one side of the wall, pressing on the wood. It gives way, and swings open. I squint my eyes as the morning light seeps into my eyes, from a grate. I'm in the ventilation system. I crawl into the vent, moving forward. Soon, I reach another grate. I swing it open.

And I'm inside a bedroom. I sigh, giving a stretch. I need to modify the vent a little. I'm getting a bit too big for it. My eyes swing left and right, looking through my room. Nothing much is in here, just a bed, my desk, a closet, a TV, and a very well used computer. My sister keeps coming in here to use it.

She says it's to check if I have any porn in it, but I know she just likes to read stories and send emails. Her favorite hobby is sending chain letters about our religion. It's quirky, weird at times, but she doesn't seem like she wants to stop. She acts like an angel one second, then a devil during the other.

I walk over to my closet, opening it. I pull out my school uniform, quickly dressing myself with an eye on the clock. Brown eyes meet brown eyes in the mirror. I look myself over once, taking note of all my features. Brownish-black hair, still rather messy, check. Weary expression due to the result of failed experiments, check. Eyebags. Check.

Okay, self motivational speech time.

"I, Kouhei Takeda, am not a failure." I say with pride, chest puffed out. "I am not a failure." I repeat, forcing a smile to my face. "I'm going to be a master of thaumaturgy." I grin.

Self motivational speech. Check.

Cue slouched shoulders and depressed feeling. Check.

"I'm a failure of an alchemist." I groan, rapping my head against the glass.

Assuring I'm a failure as an alchemist. Check.

"You're no failure."

My eyes meet golden ones. A fair face grins at me, framed by grey hair. She's dressed in her uniform, specifically of the Saint Paulo Miki Private Middle School. With crossed arms, she rests against the doorway of my room. With the black skirt, and other clothing, she kind of looks like a nun.

"You're an epic failure." She chimes. She doesn't act like one though.

I rap my head against the glass. I don't want to break it though, that would be seven more years of bad luck to my already unluckily (yet relatively decent) life.

"Caren, what the hell?" I groan.

She pouts. "That's no way to talk to your imouto."

"_**Caren Ortensia Kotomine. Get out.**_"

She sticks her nose into the air, with a "Hmph." Then she leaves my room. I don't know why I put up with her. Oh wait, we live together. Damn it.

I peek out my window, looking at the shed connected to the house with a vent. My workshop is pathetic compared to my father's. But it's good enough for my experiments. Though I probably need to renovate it a bit to fit a specimen tube in there. I want to be a great alchemist. Maybe I'll try to get a copy of the Einzbern alchemy notes that they've published. But barely anything ships all the way out here!

Maybe I can ask another magus in town to order some stuff for me.

"Hurry up!" I hear Caren call for me.

"Got it!"

I grab my bag from my bed, and run out the door. I weave through the hallways of our home, running for the door. Caren's there waiting for me, bag in hand and a sandwich in the other. Wait, that's not a sandwich. Is that my cell phone?

"You don't have many girls on this thing, do you?"

I palm my forehead. Angelic my ass.

"Caren. Stop teasing your brother. You're going to be late for class." A gruff voice calls out to us.

I turn around to see the dark brown eyes of my father. He yawns, a cup of coffee in one hand, a newspaper tucked under the other. This is the man I've practically idolized since I was a child learning about magecraft. One of the last men standing in the Fourth Grail War, and an excellent magus in his own right. Such a great man.

His greatness is dampened by the fact he's in pajamas and fuzzy bunny slippers, courtesy of Caren.

_**Kotomine Kirei**_, one of the greatest magi in our time, wears fuzzy bunny slippers.

…

Never got over that fact.

"Don't forget this." He tosses something to me. I catch it with one hand, grinning a bit. It's was a leather bracelet with a metal cross on it. I strap it around my left hand, the metal cross facing out on my wrist.

"I doubt I'm going to face Dead Apostles on the way to school."

"Always be prepared Kouhei. _**Always**_ be prepared." He advises. "Now, get to class."

* * *

><p>I walk down the road with Caren by my side after getting off the train, fiddling with the bracelet on my wrist. Caren stares at it pointedly, raising an eyebrow. "I doubt we'll be facing vampires any time soon."<p>

"You're just jealous that Father lets me carry around Black Keys."

She pouts. "As if. I'm not going to be one of those Executors, I'm going to be an Exorcist."

"Says the girl who can't stand to watch horror movies." I chuckle, dodging a hand as it tries to hit me one over the head. I continue walking down the street, grinning as Caren fumed behind me.

"I can stand horror movies!" She cried.

"_**Right.**_" I whistle. "Followers of the Eighth Sacrament don't hide behind blankets and cry "Daddy", do they?"

"We were kids! You did the same!" She near-shouted at me, waving her arms about in frustration.

"No I didn't." I reply. I had gripped a Black Key and nearly sliced the TV in half until Father came in, took the blade from my hand and comforted a traumatized Caren. Not my best moment, I agree.

Caren continues to fume, as the school comes up in the distance. It looks like most high schools in Fuyuki, except with the large church on school grounds. But unlike most high schools, there's a small population of magi attending. I'm fairly sure about that. The number of magi attending Saint Paulo Miki Private School is limited down to about I guess 5. That's quite a bit in my standards.

Let's see, that's me, Caren, the local priest, and about two other prana signals I haven't managed to pinpoint. Though it could just be Caren using thaumaturgy to screw with people. Father (and I mean the one at home and at another parish) doesn't like it when she does that. Apparently it reminds him too much of the Grail War. Or at least, that's what I think.

I believe Caren's mother played around like that as well. I don't know if she was a magus or not, but it seems that Caren is more like her than she thinks. I pity father in his early years. To be honest, I'll pity anyone to get to know Caren who hasn't known her before.

I raise an eyebrow at my younger sister, as she bows lightly. "See you later, Onii-chan!" She chimes with a happy smile. She's already immersed in her angelic persona, ready to face the world with a mask made to troll certain people. Well, that's my sister. I learned to live with her.

I wave goodbye with a free hand, the other slinging my bag around my shoulder.

Oh crap, she still has my cell phone. I know I'm a magus and all, but when I sent my phone number to the people at Clock Tower, half of the people there didn't know what it was. My letter had gone back and forth between about 20 people until someone knew what it really was. And then they still used an ancient phone, and called me at awkward hours of the day to see how my research was going and if I needed anything.

They're all intelligent magi! Don't they know _**anything**_ about time zones?-!

I sigh, making my way to my classroom.

* * *

><p>I feel my body work through the motions, hearing my voice speak the morning prayers as I paid little mind. What really was on my mind, was the ringing of the church bells. I could feel the pulse of the sound work it's way through me, shaking me with some sort of feeling to my core.<p>

I could feel my prana pulse and flow at the deep beat. My prana always seemed to react with the urge to come to life and enact in the outer world whenever I heard the sound of church bells ringing. When I thought about those bells ringing, I could reign my prana in and enact all sorts of magecraft. But it felt weird at school.

I may feel relaxed in body, but in prana… I can feel it pulse within me, because I can't ignore the sound of the mental trigger that allowed me to utilize thaumaturgy. It's taking quite a bit of effort to just not let out a burst of prana. This is good training, I guess. Just another step in my path towards being a great magus.

It's a long, long trail ahead of me to reach my goal. Oh well, I can bear with it. I've got trail mix and shotguns. And about 8 long pointy swords that have the ability to smite horrendous insults to God.

…

I'll deal.

I spent the day absentmindedly finishing homework and listening to lectures, drawing various designs and future plans for upgrades to my workshop on the side. My current plans include Anti-Caren Bounded Fields, extending the height of the roof to fit a specimen tube in, and when I have the time to take advantage of the wood sale at the hardware store.

Oh, and get my hands on that new takoyaki machine I saw on TV last night.

Unlike most magi, I'm half-half in my outlook. Half of my magecraft is centered around practical application, while the other half is strictly devoted to research. I need to shift my priorities around if I want to become an Executor though. I still transmute some scrap paper into lead when my pencil runs out, and I put a small bounded field up that makes people ignore my papers when I write tests for an example of practical uses of thaumaturgy.

They're very simple applications. Though I've had to convince Father Tsurugi in the past, telling him that I don't use it to cheat. I've never really needed to for that matter. Except that one time when Caren kept me up all night with her antics, and never even leaving me alone even when I needed to study.

I won't talk about that.

Once I've become an Executor, I can fight for my beliefs as a primary reason, and on the side, I can earn money to fund my own research. The people at Clock Tower refuse to do so, since I'm affiliated with the Church. I wonder how they would have reacted if I stuck Kotomine to the end of my name? I'm Kouhei Kotomine, _**legally**_ anyway. It's not like Clock Tower delves into the mundane legal system. It's not like they interfere much with the mundane world at all.

I will still always refer to myself as Kouhei Takeda. Or Kouhei Takeda-Kotomine at times.

I still wonder what would have happened though. How they would have reacted, what would have been done, would they have been with me or against me? I severely doubt they would ally with me or help me in anyway.

_**After all, I doubt they'd want anything to do with the son of the man who helped destroy the Holy Grail.**_

* * *

><p>I eat lunch quietly inside my classroom, still thinking about how my life is going to work out from the moment I step outside. I put quite a lot of thought into planning, and I'm known to be very ambitious. If I can rise through the Church's ranks, I wonder if I can somehow manage to go and visit Atlas one day. It'll take a long time, but The Giant's Pit is too great a call for any self respecting alchemist.<p>

That, or I take a visit to the Prague Association. Though if I involve myself with one, I won't be able to even involve myself with the other… Choices, choices. They're so difficult, but they're there to be made with caution and dignity.

Speaking of dignity, haven't heard much from Tohsaka Tokiomi in a while. Father never speaks with him much, but I had found his contact information in an old folder in his bedroom. He sent me instructions on how to build a decent workshop and the runes I needed to help keep it relatively functional. He's a nice man.

But he rambles in his letters with a flourish that only a member of his family could even possibly (or humanely) achieve. Akasha interests me, like it does with the man. It's not something the Church deals with. And I doubt I'll be as fanatical about reaching it.

But something about it interests me, like the way the Five True Magics do.

I spot a flash of grey hair, and the sparkle of golden eyes. Outside the window, I spot Caren surrounded by a bunch of her friends and quite a few girls of other grades. She's always been such a popular girl, due to her angelic personality. Or her "public" angelic personality.

"Kotomine, your sister seems popular."

A flash of brown hair appears before me. A grin appears on a young man's face, as the very same young man hops into the seat beside mine.

"I wish she wasn't…" I grumble.

"Don't worry about it!" The young man's hand pats my back.

"Yeah, yeah, Mackenzie."

Christopher Mackenzie, a young Canadian transfer student who I quickly made friends with back when he transferred here. His family didn't like it here, leaving years prior, but he decided to board with his grandparents and continue his education abroad.

"Besides, we're going to graduate soon! You'll have plenty of time to stalk her when that happens! I'm pretty sure you'll need to! After all, something as pretty as that will need something strong like you to protect her from the raving masses of men that await her in the thralls of high school."

I smack him one up across the head.

If any boys take a fancy to her… That's what alchemy, eight swords that are the bane of undead existence, various guns, and laxative filled trail mix are for. I take extra care to avoid my special laxative trail mix. It's the one bag on the right on the shelf. Don't forget it, Kouhei.

Caren is a rather attractive girl, no incest implied of course. Hell, we're not even related. Not that I partake in incest. It's against our religion.

…

Yeah, I have no sister complex. Dare to imply such things, and you'll get the same treatment as anyone to come after my sister. Which involved disembowelment and laxative trail mix. Or being used as zombie bait when vampire hunting.

Either one.

* * *

><p>I sit on a bench outside, waiting for Caren to show up. School's finished early today; the teachers were meeting for something, probably a complication in the curriculum or about the upcoming sports festival.<p>

"Hi Onii-chan!"

I turn my head, to see Caren bouncing up and down beside me with a soft smile on her face. Hm, seems like she had fun today. I stand, looking down on her. She's still shorter than me by about a head.

I feel something smack me between the eyes.

"Here you go!"

I blink, staring almost cross eyed at the object. It appears to be my phone. Damn it. I swat it out of her hands, catching it in the air. I flick it open, to see if anything had happened to it.

Okay, my contacts list is intact. Clock Tower and my contacts in the Church haven't been contacted. Phew. I doubt I could handle the backlash if it was found out that I left a library of contact info that belongs to very influential and dangerous people, out in the open. That was a great relief.

…

…

…

Okay, I'm fairly sure I've never met this girl. Or this girl. Or that girl. Who the hell are these random girls that appeared in my contact list?

…

"Caren, did you pawn my phone number?"

"Yes."

…

_**Crap**_.

"And what you get in return?" I ask without hesitation, frowning.

"Lunch money and bragging rights." She smiled innocently.

"… You pimped me out." I gape.

"Aw, you're welcome, Onii-chan."

Father will never let her get away with this.

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>Hm<strong>_. Any of them make a good future wife?"

_**Damn it**_.

I stare down Father as we square off in the backyard of our home. He's got a book in one hand, a Black Key in the other.

"I don't know." I repeat for the fourteenth time.

"Hm." He flips the page of his book, switching between the throwing and stabbing positions with the blade in his hand. A small smirk graces his face, as he snorts at something on the pages. Then he closes the book and turns to me.

"Now, shall we begin?"

I nod, reaching out with my left hand. I focus prana into the metal bracelet strapped to my wrist, feeling it come to life. The cross on the bracelet shines with a white light, forcing me to squint my eyes as I try to look past it. With my right hand, I reach into the brightness. This artifact was just a little thing from grandfather's early days as an Executor, and now it was practically mine.

_**There. I feel it.**_ My hand grasps a handle, somewhere within the light. And then I pull.

A Black Key of my own is in my hand, ready to be used.

I barely have enough time to react, as my father's sword sweeps down for my head. I brace my feet, bringing my own blade up to deflect his. A faint smile is on his face, as he draws back. This…

I am fucked.

But for the sake of time and less pain, I decide to fight back. I prime the sword in my hand ready to throw it. My feet draw back as my hand does. And with a swing of my hand, I let the blade fly.

"Too predictable."

A twirl of his sword sends my sword sinking into the ground behind him. In another short flash of light, I have another blade in my hand, running towards him to strike again. I'm down one, but I have 7 left in my current arsenal. I slide low.

And I choose to sweep up with an upward slash.

However, it's useless. Father's foot smacked down on the base of my sword's grip, ripping the sword out of my grip and sending it flying. I jump back, pulling another key from the void attached to my wrist. 6 left.

To conserve my amount of weapons, I only use one Key and hold it like a sword, rather than the popular claw grip.

I throw sword in my hand as a distraction, drawing another blade from my wrist quickly after. Father's sword quickly deflects the other, as I lash out for his neck. His elbow digs into my chest as I jumped for the chance to strike, sending me flying back. I roll to the side, dodging as his weapon stabs the ground where my leg once was.

"Fight smarter." He advises.

Sometimes, I swear he's ruthless in my training, perhaps even as ruthless as his time in the Fourth Grail War. But if he actually was… I doubt I'd last a minute. I doubt I'd still be alive.

5 Black Keys left.

I pick up my recently dropped blade with my left hand, stabbing out at his foot in a reverse grip. He sidesteps, right as I draw another sword from my wrist. With the weight of momentum, I roll about and with a wide swing I strike at his chest. He kicks at the sword still stuck in the ground.

The blade gives way, causing me to lose my balance. I fall to the ground, landing on my shoulder with my attack only hitting air. He kicks out once again, taking away another Key.

3 swords left.

I'm learning how to fight I guess. Hopefully not how to fight losing battles. Because that was what was happening to me right now… I roll away from my father, and he didn't strike down on me.

"You make too many useless motions. It may work against the Undead, but against a magus or a vampire, you'll be dead before the first strike." He told me as I got up.

I draw two Keys with one sweep of my hand. With another sweep, both keys are sent flying towards my father, each aimed for his shoulders. Primarily, I'm used to throwing one, but two or more, and my aim gets off target…

One almost skins his right shoulder, and the left just sinks into the fence further behind him, having missed completely. Just my luck. One Key left, and I'm feeling exhausted. One Key left, and I haven't even managed to scratch my "enemy".

Even though my opponent is of the highest tier in combat prowess, it still wounds my pride to lose. Even with the times I've lost to continuously to Caren, due to not finding the heart in myself to even raise my blade against her, this still hurts. Though that might just be my ego and my bruised and battered body talking... I draw my last sword.

I sprint with all my might forward, hoping to close the distance as quickly as possible. Father does nothing but stand there, as I jump up with my sword aimed straight for his stomach. I can make it! _**I'm going to win!**_

_**Oh fuck it.**_

He had pivoted with the littlest of motions, the point of my weapon soaring past him. He grabs my wrist, planting an elbow into my back. And I hit the ground hard with a groan. My sword clatters in the distance.

"Try harder next time." Father tells me, grabbing onto my collar to pull me up. He lets me stand, and brush myself off. "Focus on the points I told you. Utilize motions and attacks that don't needlessly waste energy and time. Be less predictable, and try to use your other abilities."

"But-" I start off, but he raises a hand to interrupt me.

"The Black Keys are useful against vampires and the unholy darkness, I agree. But they are not the only weapon in your arsenal. Surprise is often the key in battle. But be efficient with your skills. Needless waste is needless."

He pats me on the head once, and walks towards our small house.

I stretch sore and worn out muscles, going through the labourous task of finding and recollecting my Black Keys.

* * *

><p>I groan, as Caren prods the black mark in the crook of my neck. I hadn't gotten that fighting, I had tripped on the gardening hose and landed on the handle of a Black Key. That… That wounded my already slowly-being-crippled pride once more.<p>

"Whatcha doin now?" Caren asked, as I pored over a book.

Trying to figure out how to Caren-proof my workshop. So far, my research hasn't been going well. The Bounded Fields didn't work. Even after all my research. You know how I know?

I bow my head solemnly, as I set the book into a shelf in the very same mentioned workshop as Caren prods around again once more. I grab a tape measure, and start measuring the distance from the roof to the floor. The specimen tube will need a few more feet of space to fit in here. I go amongst my work, while thinking about how to explain this to Caren and Father.

I need to explain why I want to create a homunculus, and why there's a need to have a naked person floating in a tube for private company.

…

Decisions, decisions. Don't know how to make them, and at the rate of my current sources of income, I doubt I'll be making them soon. That depresses me a bit, but it just goes to show how much I need to work. I prod Caren with an iron rod, trying to steer her away from my experiments that have caught her interest.

"Shoo." I tell her, pointing at the "door" with the rod of metal in my hand.

"Nuh-uh." She tells me, shaking her head with her cutest little pout yet. It just makes me want to pinch her cheeks! And I choose to do so.

It's fun watching her squirm in my grip.

She squirms out of said grip, and moves towards the door-flap-thing. She sticks her tongue at me, and shouts, "Meanie!" And crawls away through the vent.

I sigh, returning to my job.

_**Ring. Ring.**_

I blink, as the phone I have in here rings. It's hooked up to the one in the main house. We have two phones in the main house, one in Caren's room and one in Father's office (surprising for a magus family, isn't it?). The last one is here in my workshop, and Father doesn't know about it. I use it to intercept and listen to calls between my father and his contacts. It's useful for finding out where he's going, what he's doing, and why he's doing it.

It pluck the phone from its base, holding it to my ear. From what I can tell, it's Father Tsurugi.

"_**Kotomine, he's back again!**_"

"_Who's back?_" I hear my father ask in his trademark gruff voice.

"_**You know! He comes back every year! I'm afraid for the students' safety! You know about his infamous reputation!**_"

"_I can go help you deal with him, if you'd like._"

"_**That would be very welcome, Kotomine. The last thing we need is a Dead Apostle running about Fuyuki, much less an Ancestor of all things.**_"

"_I shall take care of it tonight. I will meet you at your parish at eleven._"

I barely managed to scrawl down the location they were talking about going to. When I had finally put the phone down when their conversation had ended, I sat on my worktable, reflecting. It couldn't be possible. What were the odds?

_**Dead Apostle Ancestor.**_

I could feel my heart sink into my stomach.

One of the most powerful beings known to exist was here in Fuyuki. My father and his comrade priest were going to fight him. My father was going to fight a Dead Apostle Ancestor. I'm confident in his skills, but…

A Dead Apostle Ancestor? He could die. And he seemed to be planning to leave without us. What if he did die?

What would I tell Caren?

I break into a run for the door-flap-thing (I'm calling it a doorflap now) and scramble through the vent. I come out in my bedroom, and my eyes drift to the clock. It's only 10 now. I have to prepare for the fight of my life in only a few dozen minutes.

I may or may not die. But I can't let my father and his friend go on their own, they might not be enough for a Dead Apostle Ancestor. I run to my closet, throwing it open and reaching behind my clothes. I grab onto a wooden panel, sliding it away.

I press the button of a nightlight, and I'm greeted with the sheen of metal. A small armory of airsoft guns. I know what you may be thinking, that plastic pellets will do nothing against a vampire unless he was made of paper. But I know a little trick.

Courtesy of the late Emiya Kiritsugu.

Channeling prana into my hand, I grab a shotgun from the formerly hidden rack, and balance it between my palms. It's a full metal replica of a SPAS-12. Through the process of Alteration and Transmutation, I feel the insides of it shift into something different. Thank you, Emiya Kiritsugu, for teaching me the basics about how firearms work.

And thank you too internet.

Never would have made it this far in the world without you.

And so, I hefted my altered weapon into the air proudly. The process had worked. Now I had a bona fide shotgun. And instead of tiny little plastic pellets…

This thing now pumped lead.

I put the shotgun down on my bed, reaching into my closet again. I pull out two letters, looking them over.

One was dedicated to myself and Caren, and it had, "_**If I don't come home...**_" written in fine handwriting.

The other was dedicated to Caren and my father, "**Open if something happened.**", written in my awkward chicken-scratch-like writing.

Mine contains a final letter and a will. I don't know what's in my father's.

I grab the shotgun, and stuff it under my jacket. I dress in comfortable clothing, previously having Kevlar transmuted and intertwined with it. I have my fully loaded bracelet strapped to my hand, and a bandoleer of shotgun shells wrapped around my waist and under my jacket. I'm ready.

I'm relaxed, I can use my magecraft, and I am armed. I'm ready for a battle. I'm ready to give war. I held the letters in my hand, and leave my room for what may have been the final time.

I give it one last look, and close the door.

"Where're you going?"

I turn, spotting Caren leaning against her bedroom door.

"I'm going out."

"Father says you can't go with him."

Damn it, he must have heard my breath over the phone.

"Why would I follow Father?"

"I don't know why. He just said we should stay home."

"Sorry, but I really need to go." I turn around, already weaving through the house to get to the door. Caren runs up to me, and grabs my wrist.

"Where are you going?" She asks me, an eyebrow raised.

"… I can't tell you." I tell her.

"Why?"

This reminds me of a few years ago, when I went to go eliminate some Undead on the outskirts of the city. She was still a little, innocent if not a bit mischievous little girl. Her eyes widen a bit at the letters in my hand. "Is it an order?" She asks. I shake my head.

I hand the letters to her. Her eyes widen further.

"You're going to fight something, aren't you?"

I nod.

"… And you don't think you're a match for it. I know that face. You don't think you can win. You think you might die. "

…

Hesitantly, I nod. My hand's already on the doorknob, turning it slightly. I freeze, as I watch her shudder. I have to go, I have to get to Father.

I throw open the door, running out onto the Bounded Field enclosed front yard.

"_**Noli me tangere.**_"

I fall to the ground as a red cloth encloses my legs. I try to pull away with my arms, but the cloth holds firm. My head turns to see Caren gripping onto one end of the cloth, keeping me still.

"I can't let you go." She says, a determined expression on her face as the cloth around my legs began to tighten.

"I can't let Father and Father Tsurugi go alone."

Her eyes widen again as I draw a Black Key. I sever the cloth with the sword, the cloth around my legs falling loose as they were severed from the connection to her prana. I yank off the cloth from my legs, and stare into Caren's eyes.

"I'm going Caren. You can't stop me."

Her eyes grow teary.

_**OH DAMN IT. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry-**_

"_**WAAAAAAAAAH!**_"

I barely have time to brace myself as Caren flies towards me, grappling me in a tight hug.

"_**I won't let you go Onii-chan!**_" She cried, tears falling from her eyes.

I stood there in her tight grip, unmoving as she held onto my chest.

"Remember when we were kids Caren? When Father promised he'd protect us? That he'd help us when we needed it?"

She continued crying.

"Father never broke his promise. But now it's my turn to do the same for him."

I peel her from my body, looking into her watery eyes. "I'll come home Caren."

I give her a tight hug, as I made a promise I didn't know I could keep. I was going to fight a battle I couldn't possibly win. A Dead Apostle Ancestor. The mere mention of what my enemy was scared the crap out of me. But I'm going anyway.

"I'm going to come home Caren. And I'm Father's coming back with me."

I hug her once, feeling her feebly hug me back. She was so small, so frail. She was my little sister, the girl my father and I had to shield from the world. Or shield the world against her.

My little sister… _**I might die in this battle.**_

I feel a tear cascade down my cheek. My hug is a bit tighter now, more desperate. I might die. Father and Father Tsurugi probably aren't strong enough to take on an Ancestor.

Servants can't back them up now. Gilgamesh probably could, but he's too full of himself to even help. The Assassins were long gone. Against such an unholy being like the Ancestor they were going to face…

They really might die. I don't want to sound like I have little confidence in their abilities… But when talking about a being of unspeakable evils, it pays to be pessimistic. I'm stupidly running into my death.

But Father has saved me many times. I can't help but want to do the same, just once, for him. If this Ancestor can come and go to Fuyuki, every year, without no one stopping it, he or she or it must be insanely powerful. I let go of Caren, wiping away her tears with my sleeve.

I let her go, and I start walking.

And I can hear her cry, knowing that her teary eyes are watching me leave.

* * *

><p>Father and Father Tsurugi had left a while ago. I stared down the location of the Ancestor. It seemed to be a rather modern, simple home, compared to the luxurious abodes of various vampires and their familiars. And unlike those vampires, no Undead seemed to crawl or hobble around.<p>

The house was surrounded by a variety of gardens, each having a myriad of flowers and strange stone pedestals. Each of the pedestals seemed to reach my waist, having a red jewel protruding from the center. This is surprisingly similar to something in my memories…

Ah, I remember! Those were the detection barriers that were powered by jewels! I remember those from the Tohsaka Manor. They're an excellent example of the power of Jewel Magecraft.

…

But how does this Ancestor know about it? I doubt he or she would know the well kept secrets of the Tohsaka family. I can sense the prana flowing about, as the individual parts of the detection flow and move in their elaborate motions. I don't have the flexibility of an Assassin to move right through it.

My eyes notice something amongst the maze of flowers and stone pedestals. Some of the jewels are cracked. Father and Father Tsurugi must have come through that way. From my vantage point in the tree, I jump down, and make my way towards the first broken jewel.

I take a gentle step forward into what I believed to be the circumference of detection. Nothing happened.

I spot the path of broken jewels to the house. The battle was going to start soon. I run amongst the flowers, moving towards the house while avoiding the rest of the still active detection fields. I have to get there.

As soon as I reach the house, I hit my first dead end. I look for a sign of both priests entrance, but couldn't find a single thing. Father might have used some sort of magic to break in, I guess. But I couldn't do the same magic. So I guess I have to do it the old fashioned way.

I pluck a pebble from the ground, and toss it towards the wall. It simply bounces off, nothing happening to it. I touch a single finger to it, taking a gamble. Nothing happened to my finger, it wasn't eaten up by a portal, nor electrocuted, or anything.

The wall was clean. I couldn't sense prana or mana from it either. I could probably scale this to get to a balcony I see in the distance, and then shimmy to a window. I run into the ledge, using leg strength gained from years running the track at school, pushing up halfway across the wall.

I grip the edge of the ledge, and pull myself up. With very unstable balance, I slowly, _**VERY SLOWLY**_, make my path, shimmying across the ledge to get to my destination. As I climb over the rail into the balcony, I notice only a door leading into the house. No windows to give me a hint on what was inside, nothing.

I walk to the door, feeling around for prana or mana. Nothing. The door was clean. It seems that the primary defense seemed to be reliant on the jewel fields.

The vampire must be very cocky, since the door was already unlocked. The two of them might have entered in here. I take a deep breath. And I open the door.

The inside was more akin to a castle then the outside. There was red carpet, flowers sitting on dainty tables, and fancy paintings lining the walls along with candle holders and chandeliers. I could hear no sound. And frankly, that scared me.

I walk down the ornate hall, looking about. I pull out my shotgun, ready for anything. I was practically planning to shoot at whatever moved. The eyes of people in the pieces of art followed me everywhere. For a second, I berated myself, knowing that something was already probably watching me, something was waiting for me.

I had probably walked into a trap. That can be blamed on my inexperience. I had walked into my very possible death. _**DAMN**_.

Now I was probably going to die here, in a very gruesome way. I won't be able to fulfill my dreams, nor experience life. But I won't go down without a fight. I learned to fight with experience, no matter how badly those experiences went.

I have been battered, bruised, and utterly broken at times. But I am no longer ending up like so, after all the things I've done up to today. Today, I was going to shine. I was going to fight a Dead Apostle, and I was going to do my damn hardest to win alongside my Father and Father Tsurugi.

I'm going to prove I'm not a half-assed little magus, and I'm going to prove I'm ready to be an Executor. I'm ready to fight in the name of my family and faith. I stop, looking around. I am ready to fight.

"Come out. I know you're there." I say into the candlelit hall.

…

No one was there. And I had probably screwed up by alerting things to my position.

I sigh, turning and walking. Where were they?

I pause at the end of the hall, looking about the portraits. They all seemed so genuine. They're probably knock-offs of famous paintings, made down to the slightest detail. So I can't help but tilt my head at the painting of the Mona Lisa.

"_**Nice, huh? Had it imported.**_"

My head swings around, shotgun at the ready. Nothing was there in the hall. Basic firearms training came at the forefront of my mind. A few tips from Hisau Maiya and common doctrine from various airsoft matches repeated themselves in my thoughts.

"_**Oi, careful with that thing. You might poke someone's eye out.**_"

"What are you?" I breathe.

"_**Just a tired old man. Now, won't you kindly come here?**_"

My gun weaves left and right as I speed down the hall. I bump against another wall, gun swinging in all directions as I try to find my target. He's here. A Dead Apostle Ancestor was targeting me. If I had ate something for dinner, I would have shit my pants there and then.

_**Lord, please save my soul.**_

My neck brushes against something, apparently the frame of a painting.

I turn around.

I feel my heart sink into my stomach and boil in its acid. I know which Dead Apostle Ancestor lived here. I know whose voice it was. And out of all my damned luck, I chose to pick a fight with the most dangerous magus known to man.

A man in a magus's cloak stood in the painting. Grey hair adorned his head, and a similarly colored grizzled beard dressed his face. Red eyes looked down on me, with such strength I was sure they pierced my soul. His mere identity scared the crap out of me.

I knew who he was.

_**Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. The Master of the Second Magic, Kaleidoscope.**_

A deity-like being amongst magi. The wielder of a miracle that transcended time and space. A Dead Apostle who was the only being of his kind to ally as a savior of humanity, heralded with reverence amongst his fellow magi and even the Church. A man so great, once he died, if he _**ever**_ died, would become one of the greatest legends known in _**ETERNITY**_.

And I had broken into his house.

A hand grips on my shoulder. My heart practically stopped as my head turned around.

Red eyes met mine.

"Hello there boy! How's it going? I was just joining your father and his friend for tea-"

My eyes rolled back into my head, and I fell to the ground.

Blackness overtook me.

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg.<strong>

I couldn't help but try to stifle a chuckle, as Kotomine Kirei unceremoniously dumped his son on a couch.

"Idiot boy." I hear him mutter, as he takes a seat across from me.

I turn to his friend, another priest. He had huge glasses, and anxiously carried a katana in his hand. He clumsily wiped away longish black hair from his young face, bluish brown eyes staring at me with a hint of fear and respect. Ah, I missed that look, quite a lot to be honest.

"Your son's an interesting kid, Kotomine." I smile at him, then sip from a goblet. The taste of quality wine is divine, no matter where you go. "There's something about him… What's the word?"

"Brash? Foolish?" Kotomine suggests.

"No. More like determined. Headstrong. Independent. Selfless. Brave. Not a hint of cowardice. But not a shred of any major self-confidence either."

Kotomine blinks. "That's… A rather accurate description, if I say so myself."

"I read people well." I sigh, setting my goblet down. "So how may I be of service to you two?"

"Why are you here again?" His friend, Tsurugi, asks. "You're dangerous. Unpredictable."

I raise an eyebrow. "Oh? Can't a man simply enjoy a vacation once in a while? I enjoy taking trips like these. Isn't such a thing normal?"

"Maybe if you took a plane. Not tear a hole in space-time and jump in." Kotomine adds his two cents.

But it wouldn't be as fun or mystifying if I didn't take vacations like the way I do. I'm a master of a Magic, might as well take advantage of it when I can. While I still can. I chuckle a bit, leaning back in my velvet seat.

"So would you care to explain why you're here?" I ask them.

"Orders." Tsurugi said. "From the higher ups."

Makes sense.

"Answers." Kotomine answered my question. "Curiosity in my case."

"Well, there's not much to say to you. Welcome to my vacation home in this universe. Nothing much. This universe is one of my favorites." I admit.

Frankly, it is one of my absolute favorites. No major conflicts, nothing threatening to tear apart innocent lives, no egocentrically inclined maniacs running all over the place. There's just peace and quiet, allowing me to enjoy the wonders of Fuyuki without the craziness of the Grail War like in other universes. I can relax for a change here.

I just need to put up with everyone knowledgeable about thaumaturgy jumping out of their pants upon sight of me.

I offer the two wine, which they accept gladly.

"T-There's no blood in this, r-right?" Tsurugi asks, a bit pale.

Kotomine and I give him a pointed look as an answer.

"R-Right, g-got it." He stammered.

It's hard to believe all the changes in this universe. They're amazingly profound from the others. And they all seemed to stem from one choice, one little change in personality and disposition of a certain man. It's hard to believe that such a small yet profound difference could change the entire reality.

I smile fondly at the first time I had learned the fact. It still surprised me to this day. Just a simple little thing. But it as simple as it was, it was just simply amazing.

_**In this world, Kotomine Kirei had the ability to love.**_

* * *

><p>I smile along with Kotomine as his son drifts awake.<p>

"Wha…?"

"Good morning boy. Rise and shine."

"_**GAAAAAAAAAAAH!**_" He screams at the sight of me, pointing wildly in my direction with shock draped across his face.

My smile grows to a grin. That will _**never**_ get old. The boy clutches at his chest, breathing heavily with his skin as pale as snow. "_**OH MY-**_" He freezes as he notices the fact that he was about to use his Lord's name in vain, in the presence of two priests one of whom is his father.

"Hello, Kouhei Takeda-Kotomine." I tell him.

"How-"

"I'm a friend of your father." I tell him. Well, a friend of his father in _**this**_ universe. I have lost count of the various Kotomine Kirei's that have tried to kill me, but in vain. I like this Kotomine better.

He's not homicidal, sadistic, nor tortures children. He does make for an excellent father though. As evidenced by how his daughter Caren lives with him, along with his adopted son. They've grown up amazingly.

I have an interest in Kouhei though. Something about him just garners my attention. It's not in any weird sense of course, but it still draws me to think of the potential this boy has. The boy sits now before me, back arched and head bowed in respect.

"Sit up straight." I tell him.

He snaps up with immense speed.

"What're you good at?" I ask him.

"Excuse me?"

"You know, what magecraft are you proficient in?" I make a gesture.

"Um… I aspire to be an alchemist, and I'm decent at Gradation Air, which you obviously know as Projection. I rely on artifacts that I can channel my prana into, and from what I remember as a kid, I was slightly good at Jewel Magecraft. I don't use, and refuse to use, anything heretical or sacrilegious."

I nod at his reply. Interesting. A little more self confidence, and this boy could grow into something amazing. His magic circuits are nothing special, but they radiate such energy… Haven't felt something like this since the day of Tohsaka Nagato...

A failure, nothing even worth noticing in most magi's eyes, but what he grew up to be… He was one of my greatest apprentices, and I do not regret meeting the young man. I like working through life off my gut feeling. It hasn't done me wrong once.

It's done about a few hundred random apprentices wrong, but I have a good feeling about this boy. I have rarely met any members of the Church so deeply entwined in magic, since meeting the Kotomine Family, and that Ciel woman from Misaki. He could grow to be a great magus, or a powerful member of the Burial Agency. It's all a matter of his outlook.

I don't remember if I have ever met a Kouhei Takeda in another universe. I'm surprised I haven't. I've met many variations of people before. But I doubt I've met Kouhei Takeda.

He's not a prominent person in many realities. But I think that's soon to change.

"Do you want to be great, Kouhei?" I ask him.

Brown eyes meet mine.

"Do you want to be _**great**_? Grand, powerful, famous, whatever... Do you want to be something in your future?" I ask once again.

He nods.

"I can't hear you." I lean forward.

"_I want to be..._" He mumbles incoherently.

"Still can't hear you."

"I want to be..."

"A little louder." I urge him.

"_**I, Kouhei Takeda-Kotomine, want to be… I want to be a great alchemist. I want to be a great magi. I want to be a great member of the Holy Church. I want to be a great person. **_" He says with such determination, giving me an answer that I did not expect.

That's it. I'm choosing to make another decision on a whim again. But I'm fairly confident that this turn will be different from all the others. I am going to make it different.

Like Tohsaka Nagato, I will make this boy great beyond comparison.

"Do you want to be my apprentice?"

Kotomine Kirei, and his friend Tsurugi, gape at me.

Kouhei's jaw hit the floor. Literally, as he had fallen out of his seat.

"_**Do you want to be my apprentice?**_"

Kotomine's mouth opens to object, but I waved my hand at him absentmindedly to interrupt him. It's all down to Kouhei's choice. His eyes show great conflict as he sits himself straight, his mind probably waging a mental war. My fame/infamy seems to follow me wherever I go.

It's understandable that he would decline. Knowing what happened to my previous apprentices, it's completely understandable. But it's his decision, completely up to him to make. This boy's potential could make him anything, he's essentially a blank canvas.

And he's just waiting for the right artist to paint on him. His father's done the line work, and it looks amazing. His sister's done the shading, and it's fleshed him out. Life has done the dimensions, and they're at perfect scale.

And all he needs is just a bit of color. Colors that I know how to use.

"Can I have some time to think?"

"Certainly."

It's all a matter of time.

* * *

><p>I set another ruby into another stone pedestal, flowing prana into it. Another bounded field comes to life, the detection barriers rising once more. I turn to my possible apprentice, as he watches me work.<p>

"Is there anything you're interested in learning?

"Um… I guess I'd love to learn more about Alchemy, and some basic elemental magic. Maybe some runes, or magic that would work with the artifacts I own." He tells me, falling into step behind me. The two priests watch us from the balcony, Kotomine eyeing me.

I know he's shocked, afraid, angry, or some other emotion regarding my decision to attempt to get Kouhei as an apprentice. I don't blame him for bearing such feelings; it's his right a father to do so. I regret the circumstances of my previous apprentices, but they couldn't handle the strains of my expectations. And most of them were stuck up rich brats with ten foot stakes up their asses.

Most couldn't handle the fact that my training relied on physical turmoil. They got traumatized by experiencing things they weren't used to. That or they got crippled due to their own naiveté, or mere carelessness. Or they couldn't stand that they had to get their carefully manicured hands dirty.

It was that again, or most of the declines of my earlier students were due to the utter mind fucking experienced by doing things and seeing things in the other universes.

I didn't know that taking a young man to a world where clothes were never invented would make him nearly die of blood loss! It was an interesting trip. Like the time I visited Clock Tower in the reality that magecraft was known throughout the planet. I knew I shouldn't have lent Waver Velvet the Kaleidostick to show an example of magecraft to his students for a broadcasted lesson.

_**I did not expect the miniskirt. Or the kinky corset. Nor did I expect the bunny ears… Oh damn it, I did not need the mental image right now.**_

I finish settling in the last ruby, activating its magic.

I turn to the boy who may be my future apprentice, and sit upon the stone pedestal. His state as a magus is small right now, but he has all the skills of a proper killer of magus. If he chose to train a little bit more in his practical applications of magic, and improve upon his skill with Black Keys… He could be quite a formidable foe for anyone.

The Church of this world might see him perfect agent for the Burial Agency.

I find him to be the perfect material for an apprentice. I won't force him to go do things against his beliefs, but you could count it a hobby of mine to watch promising young students rise to greatness or to be traumatized and/or crippled during the attempt. I won't tell that to his father though. Some people are born with greatness; others have it thrust upon them.

I wonder which one of these groups of people Kouhei Takeda belongs with.

"Is that all you want to learn? Then if so, what do you want to do with your life?"

"Er…"

I can tell he hasn't given much thought about this. Very indecisive. Those habits need to stop in the future, because if he can't properly make a decision or think quickly on his feet, he's going to end up dying in a real battle. If I was a more violent vampire…

I think I could have easily slaughtered the poor boy where he stood.

"So, you have no real decision yet on what to make of your future?"

He nods.

"But you feel like you could do anything with it, if you just put your mind to it?"

He nods again.

"You want to do great things." I muse. "And you seem willing to do great things to get there."

"I do." He answers. "I'm willing to do anything."

"Even making such a sacrifice? You could leave your family and friends, and go months, maybe years without seeing them. Are you sure upon yourself that you want to make such a decision?"

"I… I don't know."

Exactly, indecisive. But he has the right to do so, what I'm proposing is not something one can decide in an instant. A few of my previous students were forced into it because of their families.

The others came for their own self benefit.

Tohsaka Nagato… He was an odd case. But he saw his dreams clearly, and made it his lifelong mission to walk the path he saw would lead to his destination.

He was foolhardy, brash.

You know, I see a bit of a young Nagato in this young man.

So as I watched the father, son, and random other priest walk away from my home, I gave it a bit of thought. Reincarnation was possible. Kouhei could be the reincarnation of this world's Tohsaka Nagato. Probably not, it could just be a coincidence.

But both had given off a… What was it?

Both had given off a determined _**fire**_. One that _**burned**_ so vibrantly, it would be near _**impossible**_ to blow it out…

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Kouhei Takeda-Kotomine.<strong>

I walk quietly beside my father down the street towards our home. I feel embarrassed beyond… Everything I've ever known. I turn to my father as he turns to me.

He pats me on the shoulder. "Thanks for coming."

I rub the back of my head with a free hand, smiling softly. "And about the apprenticeship…?"

"It's your choice Kouhei. I'll fully support your decision."

I nod in understanding.

"_**OW!**_" I groan as he smacks me one over the head.

"That was for deciding to possibly run into your death. While the notion was appreciated, I don't need you making stupid decisions in the future." He tells me in his gruff voice. "So how did Caren react? I forgot to call home."

"Eh… Look for yourself."

We spot a disheveled Caren standing at the entrance to our one floor home. Her chest huffed and puffed. Tears ran down her eyes, falling to the ground. Our letters, already opened, were crunched up in her hand.

"_**DAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDY!**_" She sobbed, running toward our father.

With a hearty jump, she was in his arms, clinging to him for dear life. She cried into his shoulder, as his arms wrapped around her. "There, there." He murmured as he nestled his cheek through her hair.

His mouth creased into a soft, soft smile, as he comforted his daughter, my sister, as she cried away her worries and sorrows.

I couldn't imagine life without them.

* * *

><p>I walked down the streets of Fuyuki, Christopher Mackenzie by my side.<p>

"Kotomine, lighten up!" He grinned at me. "Live a bit! You look too much like your father with that expression on your face!"

"Yeah, yeah Mackenzie." I mutter.

"Something on your mind?" He asks.

"I guess…" I answer, looking at him. His eyes are already turned away to a bunch of schoolgirls walking by. I smack him one over the head.

Girls are always on his mind.

"We're going for Karaoke later, you coming?" He asked, his attention still focused on the schoolgirls, who squealing about the "cute foreigner" and his friend.

"Yeah, sure. Who else is going?"

"Kotone's going, and Ayaka. A few more girls and guys you know from our class." He grins.

I sigh. The guy's working towards a harem, and quite a few girls allow him to use their first names. Though it could just be because he's a foreigner who doesn't use honorifics often other than when he thinks about it, or that they really are interested in him. I remember when he transferred here, he tried his hardest to get his life to work like a visual novel.

He managed to slowly succeed.

Hence Kotone and Ayaka, best friends who both are interested in him. I don't have much luck with women. I've learned that quite a few of Caren's friends have crushes on me. I really shouldn't have brought her lunch in her room that one day, after I had trained with Father.

And I should have known she had friends over. And I should have worn a shirt.

I sat on a seat, laughing my ass off as Mackenzie attempted to sing with the best of his ability. The rest of us clap as he finished, and he took an elaborate blow. I swear, Ayaka blushed and Kotone swooned.

They're interested in him, alright.

After everyone had taken their turn with the microphone (I had declined, this is yet another thing I suck at), we had gone to a restaurant for dinner.

I smile, as Mackenzie laughed and talked with two of the most important girls in his life. Friends of mine butt shoulders with me, and I can't help but delve in to their conversations. I've known these people for years. Some I've known since my first day attending Saint Paulo Miki Private School.

"Hey, Kotomine. You sure nothing's wrong?" Makenzie asks.

All eyes are on me.

"It's nothing." I tell them.

"You seem down!"

"Come on, tell us?"

"Is it a girl?"

"Oh, a secret lover!"

"Is something going on at home?"

I hang my head, thinking of a way to explain.

"Listen, guys…" I start off. "Due to reasons I can't afford to explain, I might have to go on a trip… And I don't know when I'll be back."

Silence.

"So… You're leaving?"

"No, I'm not leaving _**forever**_… But yeah, for… Um…" I really don't know.

"Is something going on?"

"It's not that, it's just… I've got something I want to do. And I have permission to go through with it. But I really don't know when I'll be back."

"So?" Mackenzie grins at me. "We can wait." He pats me on the shoulder.

"Just make sure you're back before graduation." He smiles, this one sincere.

"And bring us souvenirs!"

"Bring back a girlfriend!"

"Make sure you have lots of fun!"

I can't help but smile as they encourage me to go. I wouldn't have made it this far without their help. I think I know a decision. But I can't help but regret the possibility, the choice of possibly leaving them behind.

_**Why do some decisions have to be so** **hard to make?**_

* * *

><p>I lay down in my bed that night, giving great thought to this. This shall be the biggest choice of my life. I can accomplish all my dreams. But is accomplishing my dreams worth leaving all this behind?<p>

I'm leaving my father, my sister, my friends, my schooling. I don't really need my schooling with my intelligence, but everything else… I don't want to give up the people I care about. But the things I can do…

With the help of Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, I can learn how to change the world.

And that both amazes me, and frightens the crap out of me. I know a lot about Zelretch, and tales that have reached this far away from the Clock Tower. I know about his various apprentices that end up traumatized, broken, and even dead in gruesome ways. But…

He could teach me a lot. More than I probably would know without his help. If I went with him, I could learn more then I possibly could in this _**lifetime**_. It's quite literally an once-in-a-lifetime chance.

I can't afford to give something like this up.

So… I think I have a basic decision.

I sit across from the aged man inside his home. This time, I was welcome.

"Will I be able to return here?"

"Whenever we've finished a segment of your training."

"And about the time-"

He raises a hand to interrupt me. "When we return, we shall come back about a few days before we departed. It could be months or maybe years on a trip, but only days, maybe weeks for your family. The time difference is no obstacle. It is more malleable, flexible than one might think."

"…" I can make it to graduation.

I'm giving this a lot of thought.

The advantages outweigh the disadvantages, but the risks of a faulty gamble still glare out to me. I'm worried. I'm scared. I'm absolutely shit-my-pants frightened.

But to achieve my dreams, something has to give.

_**The Law of Equivalent Exchange**_. In order to create, something must be given. _**In order to make my dreams reality… **_I shall pay the appropriate price.

I will make my decision.

I am probably going to regret this sometime soon.

But this is my decision.

I am ready.

"_**I will be your apprentice.**_"

* * *

><p>"Do I tell Caren about this?" I ask my father as I pack my bags.<p>

"Hm. It's up to you." He answers.

I'm planning on telling Caren I'm going on a trip with friends. But in reality, I'm going to be hopping across reality with my new Master. I'm still shocked. This doesn't feel real.

Of all strange circumstances I've experienced... This all has to be some elaborate dream.

I understand that Zelretch picks people like me on a whim, but… This is out of nowhere. Random beyond my understanding. Beyond _**human**_ understanding.

Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg isn't human.

But maybe that gives him a better understanding of how our world works.

I sling my bag over my shoulder, stepping towards the window and taking a deep breath of morning air. I walk into the hall after, pausing before Caren's door. "Caren?" I say, knocking on the wood.

The door creaks open. "Onii-chan?" She blinks, rubbing her eyes. "You haven't gone on your trip yet?"

I smile. "Not yet. Just stopping by to say bye..."

I pat her on the head, and she grumbles.

I am about to embark on a trip, where I'll finally be able to seek after my dreams, and make them reality. And I'm leaving Caren and Father behind. I won't be seeing them for a long time.

So what do I say to her?

I didn't know what to say. I was a very emotive person when amongst people I trust. So I did what I felt. And what I felt was…

I just hugged her, lifting her into the air, and I cried.

"_**Onii-chan!**_" She squeals.

"_I'll miss you Caren..._" My voice is more solemn.

"_**You're such a softie!**_ You'll never be an Executor at this rate!"

That's my Caren. Always pushing me to move forward in life...

"_**I'll miss you…**_"

"Onii-chan?"

I settle her on the ground, patting her head. She sees my tears, eyes widening. I wipe them away, smiling fondly.

"I'll see you soon, Caren."

And with another, final ruffle of her hair, I turn around.

And with Caren's golden eyes boring into my back, I find the heart to force myself to walk away.

It'll only be days, maybe weeks for her.

And I am ready for the months, maybe years to come to me.

* * *

><p>I stand with Father and Zelretch in his vast, barrier laden garden. The still blooming, yet-to-die flowers sway softly in the autumn wind.<p>

"Are you ready, Kouhei?" Father asks me.

I smile, nodding eagerly. I hold out my hand. He nods himself, and takes it without a word. And much to my surprise…

He had pulled me into a tight hug.

"Take care, Kouhei." He said to me.

"I will, Father."

When we part, I feel him slip something into my bag.

"Just a gift." He assures me. A confident smile is on his face. I bow in thanks.

"Ready to go, my apprentice?"

I stare into the red eyes of my master. A wrinkled face grins down upon me, nodding in acknowledgement. I stand proud and tall. I kind of feel confident now, I feel like I have control over the way my life shall go for now on.

I am no longer powerless, like I was as a child.

I take a respectful bow.

"I am ready, _**Master**_."

He nods.

Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg raises his hand out towards the flowers. The wind blows a bit faster now, sending a flurry of petals flying around us. He begins to mutter a chant, something I can't understand. The faster he spoke, the faster the wind around us began to soar.

I was witnessing the Second Magic. I was seeing the Kaleidoscope with my own two eyes. I am seeing the scientifically impossible. I am seeing a miracle in its work.

"_**Open.**_"

As if a zipper had slid down in mid air, a rip in reality had appeared before us. It seemed to be an uneven tear, as if someone had ripped apart fabric with a knife. I watched my master smile, peering into the tear.

"Follow me."

And then he just walks into it.

I turn back to my father, shaking his hand. And then with a bit of hesitation, I walk towards the tear in reality. I take a deep breath. And then I peer inside.

All breath left my lungs as my eyes fell upon the sights.

_**I could see the universe. I saw stars. I saw planets. I saw galaxies.**_

_**I saw THOUSANDS of rifts, similar to the one I used as a window.**_

_**I was looking at the multiverse. And I felt something grab me… Not by a limb, not on my body… I felt something grab my soul, and tug on it in a direction.**_

_**I, Kouhei Takeda-Kotomine, took my jump into a new life.**_

_**I literally jumped. I soared through space, enclosed by the myriad of lights.**_

_**And I began to fall.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>CHAPTER 1 COMPLETE!<strong>_

**Finally I've gotten here. Not much to say to you guys.**

**I have quite a detailed plan for how the story is going to play out. The prime differences in this universe compared to canon will be elaborated upon over the course of the following chapters. A major part of Kouhei's character development will come from interacting with various peoples in the multiverse, and coming to terms with things he refuses to accept.**

**Pairings are the prime issue.**

I have not yet decided on pairings except for one.

And if I told you, that would be a spoiler, wouldn't it?

I've decided on what universe will come first in Kouhei's and his master's trip. But the next one, I'm not so sure where to go.

Should I go for a canon universe? Or should I make one?

Or do you guys have a suggestion on what kind of universe should be elaborated upon in this fic?

If so, please review. I appreciate praise, and positive, well-written criticism is ALWAYS welcome.

**At this point, I have not much to say to you guys… So… ****So until next time, I guess. ****Not much to say to you people. ****So R/R, enjoy life, read great fiction, and let the creative juices flow. And not only for you lemon writers. Aw well. – EthernalRain**


	2. Chapter 2: Welcome to the Multiverse

**Chapter 2**

**Welcome to the Multiverse**

* * *

><p><em><strong>I do not own anything Type-Moon. If I did, Shirou would have been able to save Ilya in the Unlimited Blade Works route.<strong>_

**I don't have much to say here. The reviews are highly welcome.**

And I already have a plot for this chapter. Kouhei Takeda's past shall come to light, and we shall learn why he's so interested in alchemy, how he became religious and how he became part of the Kotomine family. A lot is to be expected. And I do hope you enjoy it.

**Welcome to Fate/Stay Night.**

**Possible Canon World #5.**

**Please enjoy your stay.**

* * *

><p><strong>POV: Kouhei Takeda-Kotomine.<strong>

_**I was falling.**_

_**But it did not feel like I was falling.**_

_**Stars, blackness, universes, emptiness.**_

_**I witnessed the Crossroads of Oblivion at their work.**_

_**I saw worlds end and their rifts close, I saw worlds begin and their newly made rifts tear open. I saw civilizations at their rise, and at their fall. I saw wars, I saw peace. I witnessed ETERNITY and I witnessed it's END.**_

_**The rifts lead to ALL and NOTHING.**_

_**I don't know why I knew this. Something in me just knew.**_

_**And if these rifts were the gates to EVERYTHING...**_

_**Then somewhere, out there in the vast never-ending Crossroads...**_

_**There was the gate to Akasha, the Root.**_

"_**Down here."**_

_**The force guiding my soul made me fall towards a certain rift. This one was glowing with a soft light, an indicator of where I was supposed to go. The rift was small, but I probably could fit through it pretty easily. I know that's my destination.**_

_**I drift through the rift.**_

_**And I feel my consciousness go dark.**_

* * *

><p>"<em>Hello boy! Wake up!<em>"

Tired eyes flicker open, squinting at the bright lights that threatened to blind me. My muscles felt weak, strained as I tried to push myself up to no avail. It was hard enough that the weight of my bag suddenly felt so heavy compared to the weight during my entry into the rift. I just felt tired.

"I'm accounting this to shock for your first time, then."

My eye forces open, spotting my master framed by a canopy of leaves.

"Welcome to consciousness, boy." He grinned down to me. A wrinkled hand tugs on mine and lifts me up. The very same hand helps my suddenly frail legs stand.

"Where are we?"

"Here, just walk. I'll guide you."

My arm wraps around his shoulder, as he supports my weight. I can hardly see through blurry eyes, but I can make out a forest through my clouded vision. I don't know where we are yet. I feel leaves, and rocks underneath these feet of mine, so I'm fairly sure we're in a forest, and from the vibrant colors I can just barely see, it's autumn here.

I can feel the chilled wind ruffle my hair, and brush across my skin. Various pleasant scents make their way to my nose, and I can hear the flaps of migratory birds. It's a nice feeling.

"Come on, we're almost there." He assures me. I can see the blurred shape of a grin on his face.

We continue walking through the forest.

"Welcome to your first alternate reality, Kouhei Takeda."

He lets go of me, and I rub my eyes. I can see again.

"_**Woah.**_"

We're standing on a hill, facing out towards a city. Everything's so familiar. I recognize buildings, the familiar shopping centers, my school, and the streets. Even the vibrant red bridge that linked the two parts of the city together was there.

I was standing before Fuyuki City, in _**another dimension**_.

...

Amazement struck me first, then raw shock hit in. I believe I had stood there for minutes, taking in the sights. This is my home, yet it _**isn't**_ my home. Various tidbits of science fiction had brought up into my mind. If this was an alternate reality of Fuyuki City, wouldn't that mean there are alternate people of who I know here? That would mean an alternate Father, an alternate Caren, alternate versions of my friends-

There could even be an alternate Kouhei Takeda.

"Master-"

"_**No**_."

"Excuse me?"

"We won't interfere with the workings of this universe." He tells me sternly.

"But-"

"That includes changing the lives of the people living here. We don't do that unless we understand the consequences of doing such a thing."

_**Consequences.**_

Never thought about those... Now the ramifications of showing up out of nowhere to a person I know in this universe might be weird, considering the fact that they might not even know me. Yet, maybe. That, or the appearance of a second me might really freak the crap out of them. That explains Master's words. But what isn't explained is how the heck he knew what I was thinking about...

"So, what our plans, Master?"

"We train and observe."

I nod. "When shall we start?"

"After we find a place to stay..."

* * *

><p>"... This is <em><strong>underneath<strong>_ the bridge."

"Exactly! Nothing like the great outdoors."

"This isn't camping! This is homelessness!" I argue. I kick a can into the river, watching it float away. There's no one down here but us, our bags and other belongings.

"This shall be our home base for now. We won't exactly start tackling training until you get used to a few matters of inter-dimensional travel."

I sit on the ground, sighing with my head bowed. "And those matters are?"

"You have to find them for yourself to truly understand." He tells me.

"Can I have a hint?"

"Nope." He whistles. "There's one point about inter-dimensional travel that you must understand before we can continue on with our journey. It's one of the most important, and you will not survive for long without understanding it."

I groan. This is going to take a while, isn't it?

"Now go off on your search. I'll go out when I feel like it." He waves a hand at me, ushering me off.

I set my bag down beside him, and turn to walk away.

I walk down the streets of Fuyuki, in the more modern half of the city. I remember a lot of these places, having been here with friends. If I were to encounter myself here, wouldn't that be cool? Though I'd probably end up giving myself a heart attack or a stroke... I wonder what's going on back home.

_**I miss everyone already.**_

I have no honest clue what I'm looking for. I have no real information about what kind of alternate reality this is. So, after practically hours of just wandering the familiar streets of Fuyuki, I'm sitting before my master, eating ramen as he downs a small buffet. I know he was rich in multiple universes, but this was a bit much.

"What's the difference between this world and ours?" I ask out of the blue.

"Hm... Some things I can't tell you." He pauses to swallow, "But here's one."

I lean forward to listen.

"_**The Fifth Grail War is about to begin.**_"

The blood drains from my face.

"The _**fifth**_?" I murmur weakly.

"I doubt this shall happen back at your home, but from where I am from, the Fifth Grail War came about ten years after the fourth, due to circumstances I'm not very willing to disclose." He answers, continuing to eat.

_**The Fifth Grail War...**_

The Fourth Grail War was terrible enough. And I had the scars and first hand experiences of it. They're not my best memories, there are things I'd be much better off without remembering. I remember the _**panicking**_, the _**worries**_, the _**pains**_, and _**dear Lord have mercy**_, I remember all the _**blood**_. Every single little droplet... Especially the innocent blood spilt by that foul, hell spawned Caster's hands.

I set my ramen down, no longer hungry. I pull my knees closer to me, and I rest my forehead upon my kneecaps. I feel so cold, even beside a fire. Fear can break the greatest men. I'm not yet a man, so fear simply shatters me.

"Are you okay boy?"

"I'm fine." I lied.

"Is it about the war?"

...

I find it within me to slowly nod.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I stare at the ground. My mind began to drift to the events of my past.

"_**No, I don't.**_"

* * *

><p><em><strong>About Ten Years Ago<strong>_

I stood with the aged man who named himself Kotomine Risei. I held the jacket that covered me quietly, as we walked down the street. I could barely think straight, my mind on fire with a blaze of thoughts and emotions. The weight of loss caused my heart to ache, to throb in pain. I was alone, and I had no one else left in my life.

"_**Mommy and Daddy are gone...**_" I murmured. Daddy killed Mommy. I still didn't know why.

A hand patted my shoulder, guiding me. "It'll be alright son." He assured me, leading me forward. It was a cold night, from what I remember. My hollow eyes just watched the ground, unseeing, unfeeling.

"We're here." I raise my head.

We were at the top of a hill, and standing tall and proudly before us, was a church. The shadow of a metal cross bore down on us, a foreboding shadow at that. Albeit the creepiness the church seemed to give off in the moonlight, I felt something else wandering about my mind. I felt _**safe**_ here, like nothing could _**touch**_ me, _**hurt**_ me, do _**things**_ to me.

_**I felt welcome in the house of God.**_

He lead me to the tall wooden doors, ushering me inside. I was now in a courtyard, surrounded by flowers and small and carefully tended plants. It was quiet here, but gave off the feeling of sanctuary. Risei lead me to a smaller door, this one leading inside. We're standing to the side of a large room, one I could tell was the chapel.

"Father!"

A young, suit-clad man ran up to us. He rubbed brown hair back, as his brown eyes stared into the eyes of my rescuer. "What happened? Did he manage to gain the vampires help?" He asked Risei.

"No, he didn't."

"What happened? Who's this boy?"

Both of them looked down towards me, and Risei gestured for me to introduce myself.

"_Kouhei Takeda._" I say quietly, looking down.

"Is he-"

"Yes, he is. The man's dead. He killed his wife before I could stop him." Risei answered.

My small hand reached up to wipe away tears.

"Come here, we'll get you something to eat." Risei told me, guiding me away.

I put a spoon of hot oatmeal into my mouth, sitting on a tall stool in the church's kitchen. Across from me, a grey haired little girl with golden eyes drank juice from a sippy cup with a grin spread across her face. The young man, who I assumed then was her father, smiled softly at her, rubbing her head. I remember when Mommy did that for me...

"Are you okay, Kouhei?" The man asks me.

I hesitantly nod.

"If there's anything you need, just ask."

"_**Okay.**_"

I sat in a pew, hugging myself in the dark. It was quiet, no one seemed to be coming for mass today. I was left alone to my thoughts. But in my honest opinion, I really didn't want to be alone. I notice a light coming up beside me. It's the man whose Risei's son, holding a candle. He sets the candle in the space on my other side, then sits down.

I don't even know his name, but he's doing this much for me.

"Kouhei?"

"Uh... What's your name?"

"Kotomine Kirei."

"..." I'm quiet again.

There's silence between us, neither one wanting to speak a word. We're just sitting beside each other in the presence of... In the presence of... I wasn't religious. So I didn't really believe in God.

I was curious though. I wondered what kind of person God was. I wondered why he was putting me through this. I thought God was supposed to be a good person.

So why was he putting me through hell?

"_**Why...?**_" I ask, putting my head on my knees. I began to shake, emotion overtaking me. My cheeks felt wet.

I remember Mommy holding me. I remember her touch. I remember the door shaking. I remember Mommy's screams.

I remember Daddy's bloodthirsty eyes.

"_**Why did Daddy kill Mommy?**_" I said with a shaky voice.

A hand patted me on the back as I cried.

"_**Does God hate me, Kirei...?**_" If he didn't hate me, why is he doing this to me?

I feel the hand pat me on the head.

"Kouhei, God will never hate you. People tend to blame what's happened to them on God, but it isn't God's fault. It isn't your fault either."

"_**Then why...? Is it something I've done?**_"

"Kouhei, God will forgive you. I'm sure he's trying to help you. But all you need is to give him a little time, and a little faith. And pray, Kouhei. It'll go a long way."

"_**...**_" I was quiet, giving it thought. "_**I miss Mommy.**_"

"I know you do. And I'm sure she'll want you to be a strong, brave boy." His hand ruffled my hair.

And so, I bowed my head down and I continued to cry. His arm wrapped around me, and pulled me close as a few tears fell down my face.

I had lost my Mommy for good. This wasn't like the time I got lost at the mall... This time she was gone. I won't see her again.

I had lost my Daddy... If I ever consider him Daddy again... I don't miss him. Not after what he had done.

I had lost one father.

But now, after today...

_**I had gained two.**_

* * *

><p>I look at the little girl, Caren. She bounced up and down to some show on the TV that morning, giggling happily. She bobbled over to me, with a big grin that showed off the teeth she had. "Play! Play!" She tugged on my hand, trying to pull me over to a small pile of toys sitting in the corner. I don't feel like playing right now. She continued pulling on my hand, but I tugged it back.<p>

She pouted, trying to stand tall. Then she went over on her own, picking up a toy and starting up her imagination. I stood up from the couch, and decided to walk around. Outside of the office, where I had kept Caren's company, I entered the hall, and began poking around. My wandering lead me to a door set into a stone wall, which seemed to lead nowhere outside.

I opened it, revealing a stairway going down. With curiosity, I descended into the depths of the church. The stone steps clattered loudly as I made my way deeper and deeper. I jump to the ground from four steps high, a habit of mine.

I'm in a smaller hallway, this one leading to a single door.

"_**Assassin. Scout the area. Tohsaka needs that information.**_" I hear.

I walk to the door, creaking it open slightly. And my eyes widen at the sight.

Multiple black clad, dark skinned figures surrounded Kirei. Each bore a mask, one of a white skull. I had learned about the circumstances of the Grail War from my mother. Seven Masters allied with seven Servants fighting it out to the death for the right to claim the Holy Grail... I didn't expect in any way, for the man who's taking care of me to be a Master.

The people clad in black began to disperse into the air, leaving Kirei standing in the center of the room.

"I know you're there, Kouhei."

I step out from behind my hiding place, silent and pale. "Come here." He orders. Hesitantly, I find the will to walk to his side.

"Did you see that?" He asks.

I nod. It wouldn't be right to lie. I learned lying was bad. "Are you mad?" I ask.

He smiles with that small, yet warm smile. "Of course not. You didn't find it at all strange?"

"I know about thaumaturgy and all that..." I murmur, poking my fingers together.

"Do you know how to use it properly? Safely?" He asks me.

I shake my head. "I only know a few things."

I know what Magic Circuits are, and I know how to get prana into my hands and out of my body, but that's it. Kirei reaches into his cloak, and pulls out what seems to be the hilt of a sword without a blade. He hands the thing to me, letting me look it over. It's a rusted red color, the guard covered by a design, and very light.

"Try putting prana into it."

I adjust the hilt into my right hand, feeling a few of my small circuits come to life. Prana leaves my hand, and enters the blade. It takes a few seconds, and I can feel the converted prana enter the hilt. And then my eyes widen.

Materializing before me was a long, thin blade attached to the hilt in my hand. It was really cool, in my opinion.

"It's called a Black Key. I use it to fight demons and evil people." He answers, as I look over the blade in my hands. "Remember, it's not a toy, but a weapon. People should use weapons to fight for what they believe in, and to protect what they can." I nod at his words, it makes sense.

"You can keep that, if you'd like."

"Really?" I ask, my face brightening.

"Just take care of it. And use it for the right things."

His hand ruffles my hair, in the way I'm beginning to love.

"_**Thank you**_."

* * *

><p>Kirei held Caren in his arms as we walked down the street in the residential half of Fuyuki, in the part where western-style houses were common. The hilt of the Black Key had stayed in the pocket of a jacket Risei had taken from my old house, ready to be used if needed. I felt safe, knowing I had something to defend myself from any danger to come my way.<p>

When Kirei stopped, we stood before the gate to a large house, a practical castle in comparison to my size. The gate creaked open, and Kirei ushered me inside. He weaved me through a garden, down the path towards the western style house. I noticed a man standing before the door. And I also noticed eyes watch me from the upper windows.

They weren't watching Kirei, they were watching me. My eyes locked with what I think were blue ones, which narrowed at me. Curtains flew between us, and the mysterious person withdrew into the house. From what I could tell, it was a girl.

"Kirei, welcome." The red suited man said to him, arms wide in a welcoming gesture.

Kirei nodded to him. "Tokiomi." He said, setting Caren on her feet. The first thing she did was run to me, latching onto my arm.

"Onii-chan!" She chimed happily.

I groan a bit, trying to loosen myself from her. No use.

"And who are you?" The red suited man asked me.

"Takeda Kouhei." I answer politely, taking care to put my last name first in respect.

"So this is the boy?" He asked Kirei, who nodded with a sigh. The other man sighed himself. "Such unfortunate circumstances... But no matter, I believe you can do a good job taking care of him."

The man looks down to me. "My name is Tohsaka Tokiomi, and I'm Kirei's master in the matters of thaumaturgy." He introduced himself. "I see now my apprentice has a little apprentice of his own." He chuckled, and then stood aside.

"Please come in, make yourselves at home."

He lead us in to the large house. The foyer itself was huge, and fancily decorated like a castle would be. Caren kept her hold on my arm, refusing to let me go. "Father! Kotomine!" Another voice called out to us.

A girl, about my age stood on stairs, walking down them. She had long brown hair tied up into twin tails that reached the shoulders of her red clothes, and from what I can tell from here, she had aqua coloured eyes. The same eyes that spied on me outside the house... Those eyes locked with mine once more in suspicion.

"Rin-Rin!"

"Caren-chan!"

Caren let go of me and bounced over to the girl, and locked her arms around her. The girl smiled, patting her head. "It's so good to see you!" She told Caren, moving down a bit to her eye level. "Now who's the suspicious guy over there?" She jabbed an accusing finger in my direction.

Caren brought a finger to her lips in thought. "Onii-chan!" She grinned.

I palm my forehead. I'm not her Onii-chan. The girl walks up to me, holding Caren by the hand. "I'm Tohsaka Rin!" She says, trying to stand tall with pride and intimidate me. She's shorter than me by about a full inch.

"I'm Kouhei Takeda." I answer her, folding my arms and standing tall myself.

"Rin, why don't you go play? I need to talk business with Kirei." Her father, Tokiomi, told her.

She looked reluctant , then with a "Hmph!" turned on her heel and walked off with Caren.

"Good luck with her." Kirei advised me, and then nudged me off to follow them.

We sat in what seemed to be Tokiomi's workshop, surrounded by books and other thaumaturgy-related paraphernalia, all illuminated by candlelight. Caren curled up in Rin's lap, as she read her a book about magecraft. "So that's how jewel magecraft works!" Rin exclaimed happily to the little girl. Who seemed uninterested and oblivious, not understanding the completely complex explanation about the Tohsaka family magecraft.

"Rin-Rin smart!" Caren chimed, clapping her hands.

"Why thank you!" Rin giggled, hugging her in thanks.

I turn to spot a magecraft circle, one that Rin detailed in her lecture to Caren. I see a bunch of diamonds, of all things, sitting beside it. First thought in my mind was to pocket a few of them, since they obviously was worth quite a lot of money, an amount of money I never had before. The next thought scolded myself, since I knew stealing was wrong. My last thought was one of curiosity.

I take the jewel, and instead of putting it in my pocket, I put it in the middle of the ornately designed circle, or from what I understood from the lecture, a sigil. The process of Jewel Magecraft seemed to revolve around putting converted prana into the jewel and controlling its properties from within. I summon prana into my hands, feeling it convert into mana. I feel the mana wrap around the jewel, which now began to glow with a soft blue light.

I weave my hands up, feeling the mana pulse. I'm relaxed, enjoying the little display. The very little amount of prana I had at my disposal compared to other magi made it much easier to control. My hands moved about, keeping the mana flow straight into the jewel. Every few times I felt it try to flow away, and so my hands moved to counter it and control the jewel.

A smile drifts upon my face as the jewel takes shape. Right into a miniature replica of a Black Key.

"_**What?-! How can you do that!**_"

My concentration breaks at the sudden shout, the mana flow breaking from the shaped diamond. I drop all use of mana, and use my hand to pick up the sword. "_**Wow.**_" I murmur.

"Rin! Is something wrong?" Tokiomi comes storming down the stairs. Rin shakes her head, staring at the blade in my hand. The little replica captures his attention at well, and he holds his hand out at me. "If I may?" He asks, gesturing for the sword.

I place it in his palm, and he lifts it up to the candlelight. "Impressive. Where did you learn this? From Kirei?"

I shake my head. "I listened to her read a book." I point at Rin.

Tokiomi turns to his daughter with a small smile. "You'll make a great teacher in the future, I'm sure about that Rin. But you'll need to step up your efforts. Now, I've got to get back upstairs. Don't play with anything you don't know how to read or use. Don't touch the machines either." He advises us.

He hands me back the miniature blade. "You can keep that." He tells me, "Good work." And with a wave, he walks back up the stairs.

"You showed me up!" Rin exclaimed, frowning and stomping her feet on the ground angrily. "How come you can you do it, and I can't!"

I look at my hands.

"I... I don't know."

I felt relaxed as my converted prana did its work, and took the shape of my imagination. I could feel mana resound from the miniature sword in my hand, like a heartbeat. I'm a little more sensitive to mana then quite a few people. When I feel a surge of mana, I can sense it. Sometimes it tickles, other times it just hurts.

"What other things can you do?" Rin asks me.

"What can _**you**_ do?" I say, trying to divert attention from me.

"I can do other things with jewels!" She starts off. "I can store mana in them, and I can make things explode!"

I nod. That's actually pretty impressive. I pull out the hilt of my Black Key. "I can do this."

I materialize the blade, shocking Rin.

"You can do Projection?"

I don't think the blade's projected, I actually think it's a power of the hilt. I dematerialize the blade, and settle it into my pocket again. I shouldn't play with it, since it's a weapon. Though my other sword...

I lift the small diamond sword up. It's only faintly sharp, so I scratch the wood of the work table with it . It leaves a thin faint line, but when I grip it doesn't cut my skin. The Black Key can slay demons and smite evil, but the only things this could probably kill were cockroaches.

_**Fear my magic diamond mini-sword, you worthless bugs!**_

...

I think I just posed in my imagination trip. Rin was giggling. "You say nothing." I tell her, putting the diamond sword in my pocket.

We start talking about our lives, from where we went for school, to what our favourite foods were. She's a genius at school, practically performing swan dives while I can only tread water. We talked about nearly everything, anything on our mind, we brought it up. Until she brought up that one question.

"So, what're your parents like?"

"..."

I'm quiet, looking down.

"Hey, I asked you a question." She said, tiling her head as she came closer.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Come on!" She urged me, "Say something!"

"_**I don't want to say anything!**_" I shout.

Rin's eyes widen, as Caren's begin to grow teary. "Onii-chan's a meanie!" She cried. Rin turned on her heel to comfort her.

"Idiot, you made her cry! Why can't you just answer a simple question?-!" She said to me. Her eyes widen a bit more, meeting mine.

I feel something flow down my cheek.

I turn on my heel, and I run. I run up the stairs, past a worried Tokiomi. I run out into the hallway, just needing to get away for some reason. I just needed to get away.

_**Run. Hide. Safe.**_ Those words ran through my head as my feet took me out of the house.

I found myself in a large garden, surrounded by flowers of various sorts. The evening light shined down on me, as I began walking through the flowers. I sat down on a stone bench, pulling my legs closer. I rest my head on my knees, thinking that I need to stop running from my problems and what I don't want to hear.

I was so into my thoughts, I neglected to notice the other occupant of the bench.

"You must be Kouhei. My name's Aoi Tohsaka."

I turn my head to see a woman, with long brown hair and deep brown eyes, wearing pale brown clothes. She sat on the bench beside me, a few flowers in hand. She puts the flowers beside her, and scoots over to my side. "Are you okay?" She asked me.

She seemed friendly. Very trustworthy in my eyes. I think about lying to her. "_**No.**_" I tell her with honesty.

I think that lying would be an injustice to this woman.

"Would you like to talk about it?" She asks, a consoling hand on my shoulder.

"_**... I miss my Mommy.**_"

She was gone. I have to move on with life. But I just can't let go. I can't let go of the memories, the emotions that came with them.

_**I can't let go of what made Yuriko Takeda the most wonderful woman in the world.**_

"And what do you miss?" She asks, moving closer until her arm was wrapped around me. "Tell me anything, even the little things."

"_**I miss... I miss waking up to the breakfast she made me... I miss when she hugs me... I miss when she played with me... I miss when she held my hand, I miss when she made me feel safe, I miss when she told me she loved me... I miss her smile.**_"

I miss the smile I would never see again.

I missed _**EVERYTHING**_.

I remember everything so clearly. I miss everything that made Mommy _**my**_ Mommy. I miss her love. I miss it all. I don't miss my Daddy.

_**I hate Daddy for taking her away from me.**_

Everything that Yuriko Takeda embodied in my heart was gone. And it left a gaping, bloody hole. I wanted my Mommy back. I wanted to see her smile.

_**I wanted my father to go to hell.**_

I wanted my Mommy.

_**That man was never my father.**_

Yuriko Takeda was dead. I was alive. It was so _**unfair**_. I wish I was-

...

...

...

_**No**_. I don't wish I was dead.

_**I just wish all this never happened.**_

And so I let the dam break. I let all my emotions loose. I quickly hug Aoi, much to her surprise. And I just cry my eyes out, letting loose all the pain, all the sorrow.

"_**Waaaaaaaaaah!**_"

_**I just let it all go.**_

* * *

><p>I sit beside Kirei, quiet once again. We're silent as we listen to Aoi argue with her husband behind wooden walls.<p>

"_**Tokiomi! You heard what I said! Kouhei just lost his mother and look what's happening to him! What about Sakura! What if she's feeling the same pain?-!**_"

The shouts become muted, as I see Kirei draw something on the wall with chalk. It seems to be a sigil. "Is it my fault?" I ask him. "Is it my fault they're arguing?"

"No, it's not your fault. It's something they would have to talk over eventually. Something I hope they'll resolve soon." He sighs, leaning against the wall.

I nod at his answer.

"Are you feeling better?" He asks me.

I nod. I feel much better. He smiles down at me with that small smile, the one that gave me the feeling that all was once again right with the world. Caren's lucky to have a father like him. His hand ruffles my hair again.

I feel something tug on my wrist. It's Caren. Her eyes show evidence of having cried, and quite a lot at that. She hugs my leg.

"_Sorry..._" She murmurs.

She's not the one who needs to feel sorry. I kneel down a bit and hug Caren tightly. She hugs me back, giggling. "I love Onii-chan, Rin-Rin, and Daddy."

"I'm not-" I pause, still hugging her.

I close my eyes. She's one of the only things that are still going to be here for me.

"_**I'm your Onii-chan.**_" I murmur, holding her tight.

"I love Onii-chan."

"_**... I love you**_** too.**"

* * *

><p><em><strong>School...<strong>_

Well, I hate school. Not as much as other people do, but I generally dislike school. I could be doing something productive, but I'm doing math problems and other things that won't be of major use in the outside world. Oh well. I transferred out of my old school, and now I'm at a new one. Turns out I'm in the same class as Rin. And she hasn't quite forgiven me for making Caren cry.

"Idiot, you don't answer like that!" I rest my head on my desk, as Rin starts marking my math work. Most of it is probably wrong.

"Don't bully him..." Her friend, Kotone says.

At least someone supports me here. Rin's the class idol, so everyone looks up to her. And Rin's currently looking down on me. It's not nice.

"Listen to the girl, will you?" I tell her off.

Rin pouts. "At least I'm not an idiot who makes girls cry!" She storms off towards her desk.

"I'm sorry..." Kotone bows.

I smile at her. "No, it's fine. It's my fault in this case."

She brightens a bit. "You seem familiar with Rin-chan."

"Er... Family friend." I answer.

"That's interesting." She gives a soft smile. "I'll see you around, Kouhei-kun."

My face feels a bit warm as she turns to walk to her desk. Haven't had anyone stick kun to the end of my name before... It's nice. Especially coming from such a soft spoken girl like Kotone.

The teacher catches our attention. "Due to the sudden disappearances, please take care and extreme caution when walking home. I'd advise for your parents to pick you up, but if you must go home on your own, then please be careful." The man turns to write things about schoolwork and warnings on the chalkboard, while my classmates come to life with conversations.

The mysterious disappearances of children all over Fuyuki have gripped everyone in the city with cold hands. It's scary, kids disappearing from their beds, parents turning around to see their children gone. The people on the news every night keep sugar-coating things, telling us that the police have everything completely under control. They don't want people to panic.

But children keep disappearing... And I can't help but feel a bit scared.

After class, I walk alongside Rin and Kotone home.

I smile, absentmindedly listening to their conversation. They seem to be really good friends. I wonder how my friends are doing. I haven't even had the time to call them, or see them. I really should, I don't want to worry them or anything.

"Well, this is where we go." Rin says, pointing into the direction of a train station.

"I'll walk." Kotone smiled, waving at us as she began to walk to wherever her home was.

"What're you waiting for?" Rin asked me, as she began walking to the station.

"Go without me." I answer, running after Kotone.

"Kouhei-kun?" She gasps, as I appear by her side.

"See you later Rin!" I watch the girl palm her forehead and walk off.

"What're you doing?" Kotone asks me. Her cheeks seemed a bit red for some reason.

"A gentleman must walk a lady home. At least, that's what father said."

Wait, Kirei said that. Not my old father. I paid it no mind, as Kotone began playing with her fingers, probably nervous for some reason. "_Okay then..._" She answered.

"Lead the way." I bow in an elaborate pose.

"Okay." A wide, more confident smile appears on her face as she begins to walk with me.

"How long have you known Rin?" I ask her, adjusting the bag on my back.

Kotone smiles, "Since Kindergarten. She's always been friendly to me."

"I can't see why she wouldn't." I smile back. Kotone's a very nice girl, she just has a few confidence issues.

Kotone's cheeks grow a bit redder, and I still don't know why.

"Are you feeling okay?" I ask her, reaching out my hand to feel her forehead. As soon as I touch it, I can feel her face burn up.

"I'm feeling fine!" She near shrieks.

"Okay. Good to hear." I chuckle nervously.

It's nearing winter, so evening comes sooner. The sun's already starting to set, and large shadows already creep amongst the city. Kotone looks around anxiously, as if scared. My foot taps a can, and she jumps up in fright.

"_**EEEEK!**_" She squeals, latching onto my arm. She's all jittery, and shaking.

"It's okay." I assure her. "Nothing's coming this way." If something were to come, I have my Black Key ready for use at any moment. In the case of a strange person versus very long sword, the very long sword shall win hands down in a very bloody and epic fashion that involves dismemberment, disembowelment and/or violent castration.

We're fairly safe.

"It's okay." I assure her once more.

"Okay." She says, but she doesn't let go of my arm.

"Kouhei-kun?"

"Yes?"

"_**Thank you for being with me.**_"

* * *

><p>Kotone's mother offered to let me stay the night, since it was almost dark out by the time we made it to her house. She had lauded me in an over the top fashion, praising me as the brave boy who saw to it that her daughter made it home without a scratch. That may have been what happened, but it didn't make it any less weird.<p>

"I'm sorry, but I really have to get home."

"Where do you live?"

"Oh, the church on the hill." I answer. "It'll be easy to walk there."

"Are you sure? You're very welcome to stay-"

I interrupt the woman. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I'll be fine." I wonder if I should tell her about my weapon. But if I did, I probably would have given the woman a heart attack.

I wave goodbye to a red Kotone, as her mother began to walk me down the block. I waved goodbye to her mother too, as I crossed the street and began heading for the hill. It was dark now, so I had my hand gripping onto the hilt of my sword. It would help so much to be safe right now. I watched the shadows with speculative eyes, trying to figure out whether threats hid behind the shelter of the darkness.

"_**Ohohoho, what do we have here? Just another lonely little child. Come, my lost lamb. I have good use for you.**_" A voice called out to me.

In the crass terms learned from watching lots of TV and reading older manga, I swore.

"_**Oh FUCK.**_" I mutter under my breath. I drop my bag, pulling out the hilt of my Black Key. A pulse of prana, and the blade is out. I speed up in my walk, ready to lash out at whatever comes at me.

"_**An interesting weapon.**_"

At the second he finishes his sentence, I break into a run. I can hear something chasing after me, but I don't know what it is. I know it's coming. I don't stop running, I just keep pumping my legs.

Until the feeling of cold water washes over me. I don't recognize it at first, but then I realize it to be a Bounded Field, deflecting against something. I break into a stop, turning around. But nothing's there in the street behind me.

"_**I'll remember this boy... You interest me.**_"

I jam the blade outside the boundary of the field, poking around for something solid. But nothing's there. My enemy might be invisible, so I continue poking around the length of the boundary I could reach. Still nothing. Until I see the shifting of air.

I stab at it with all my might. And I see red drops dripping to the ground.

Something yanks at my sword, pulling me out of the safety of the Bounded Field.

Something grabs at my head, its palm covering my eyes.

_**And all I hear is cruel laughter, as everything falls black.**_

* * *

><p>I was walking. I don't know why. Surrounding me were children, each walking around this strangely clothed, bug eyed man. I still had my bag with me. Through my hazy view, I can see we're in a forest.<p>

I can feel some sort of strange prana leeching off my circuits. It must be controlling me. Through the small application of what prana I could access, I began chipping away at the strange presence, the leech. I felt it wither away and die inside me.

My vision became clear, but I still fell into step with the rest of the children. This man was a powerful magus, so if I were to run... I wouldn't doubt the chance he'd try to kill me, and the rest of the children around me too. I have to find some way to get us all out of here.

But perhaps I was too late.

For we soon stopped, and the man began speaking to someone I couldn't see. And then the children around me came back to their senses. Some looked around, others started to cry. And then the man grabbed a boy near my left.

He lifted him up by the head, and I heard the boy scream in horrendous pain as he clawed around violently to get out of the man's grip. I heard a sharp crack. And I watched the boy stop moving, but the man kept up with his grip. The boy's head turned into red mush, and the man just callously threw the body to the ground.

"_**I'll count until one hundred, so what are you waiting for kids?**_"

The man's bug-like eyes eyed every child surrounding him. They lay a bit longer on me. I freeze, just looking into his eyes. The crease of a grin appeared on his face.

"_**RUN.**_"

The children scattered, panicking. Their screams brought the man's attention away from me, and I saw him grin in delight. They shouldn't have screamed. It brought attention to them.

"_This has to be a dream, this has to be a dream..._" A young girl sobbed beside me, scared out of her mind.

Horror took root in my chest as I turned from her and stared at the dead boy crumpled up on the forest floor.

_**That could happen to me.**_

My head snaps to the young girl still within the man's reach. I grab her by the hand, and I run like hell was licking on my heels with her behind me.

"_**MOVE!**_" I urge the girl as she cried. I heard another scream, just to hear it fall silent, and sound of something hitting the ground echoed around us.

Another scream. Then silence. He was killing them. He was really killing them.

I needed to get us to safety. I needed somewhere to hide. I needed to do the same for this girl. And another urge hit my head with the weight of a rock.

_**I needed a weapon. **_

I quickly scooped up branches as we ran further and further away from the man. Prana surged to the forefront of my hand as I remembered one trick my Mommy taught me. More prana gathered, and flowed into the branches. I needed this to work, this one skill Mommy taught me before... Before... I can't afford to think of it right now. I start.

_**Transmutation.**_

With my prana, I forcibly ripped apart the electrons in the branches in my hand, rearranging them to the element I needed. Soon enough, I had a makeshift iron sword in hand, ready to be used against anything. I can feel the girl holding my hand grow tired, panting so loudly that it reached my ears. I slow us down, having us hide behind the trees.

"_What's going on...?_" She cried, holding my hand tightly.

"Don't worry, we're gonna get to safety." We have to.

I start guiding her by the hand, slowing down into a walk. I'm no match for that man. He could kill me so easily. I don't have a shot at saving everyone with the way I am now.

So God, I pray to you, let me at least save this girl.

_**I felt pain in my stomach.**_

I doubled over, feeling like I was going to throw up. Pain rocketed through my chest, setting my entire upper body on fire. It hurt to breathe, and I fell onto my knees. Something was _**inside**_ me.

Just waiting to rip out.

I feed my prana into the source of the pain, trying to incise it out of my body like a surgeon would do for a tumour. I feel something wither again, this time inside my stomach. Something was alive in there, wanting to get out. My prana flows towards it, piercing it, stabbing it, _**killing**_ it.

And then it just stopped moving. And I suddenly felt full, as in not hungry anymore. I kind of felt sick. So upon note to myself, _**do not**_ look into the toilet the next time I take a crap. I've had enough trauma lately.

What was that anyway? A parasite injected into me when I was out of it? Did that man put it in all of us? Perhaps I was the only one who could get out of it...

Realization dawns on me.

I turn to the girl holding my hand while I begin to stand, and she blinks at me.

"What's wrong?" She asks, now scared.

"Nothing. I need you to lie down."

"Why?"

How do you tell someone they have an abomination living in their stomach?

I look her in the eyes, the fear in mine reflecting into her own. She understands, and decides to sit herself up on a tree. "What's happening?" She asks.

I place my hand on her stomach, channelling prana into her. She has no magic circuits, which makes my job much easier. I can't find that parasite. It seems to be gone.

And then I feel her stomach rumble.

"Hungry, are you?" I chuckle nervously. And then I look in to her eyes. They're as wide as plates.

She quickly stands, and grabs at her stomach. I see something, something that doesn't belong in her, rumble in that area. She falls to the ground once more, screaming and kicking about in pain. I know how she's feeling. She's feeling like she's being ripped from the inside out.

I scramble to her, falling to my knees and jamming my wrist into her stomach. I feel some resistance, some motion that seems to push away at my hand. I sense a parasite. I flood my prana into her, my makeshift sword jammed into the ground at my side. The prana constricts around the parasite, but it can't seem to kill it.

It's wreaking havoc on her insides, tearing through her stomach and possibly rupturing organs.

"_**GET OUT OF HER!**_" I roar at the top of my voice.

"_**IT HURTS!**_" She sobbed.

The parasite refused to die.

It was going to kill her.

And I couldn't do a thing.

"_**Make it stop... Make it stop...**_" She cried.

"I'll make it stop." I assure her. "What's your name?"

"M-Michiru..."

"That's a nice name."

My prana constricts around the strange parasite once more, still attempting to keep it steady while other streams of prana stab into it. No matter how much I stab it, it refuses to die. It won't die. It can't die. Why won't it die?

Michiru's going to die.

I can't let that happen.

I won't let that happen.

My prana flows at the maximum capability it could, trying to kill it before it killed her. It stabbed, strangled, tried to mutilate the parasite. I have to kill it. I needed to kill it. So die already.

Die.

_Die._

_**Die!**_

_**DIE!**_

_**WHY! WON'T! YOU! DIE!**_

It continues to rip her apart from the inside out. I couldn't do it. I wasn't powerful enough. I could do the one inside me, since I had weakened it. But I couldn't kill the one inside her.

Michiru was going to die.

"_**It hurts.**_" She whimpered. Then she coughed, blood splattering out onto my shirt. "_**Make it stop... I don't care, make it stop...**_"

I was going to end this. I grab my sword, yanking it out of the ground. Then I poise it over Michiru's stomach. I have to do this.

I can't let that parasite live any longer.

It needed to die, to stop hurting Michiru.

I needed to kill it, so Michiru would stop hurting.

... To do so, I needed to kill it with my sword.

I would kill Michiru.

"_**Make it stop...**_"

I steeled myself with tears in my eyes. I can't let this go on any longer.

"_**I'm sorry.**_"

I take a deep breath, and look into Michiru's eyes.

"_**Do it. Make it stop.**_"

I plunge my sword down.

The blade enters through her stomach, meets something that I hear shriek before it dies, and comes out into the ground. I fall to my knees, cradling Michiru's head. She gives me a soft smile, blood spewing from her small mouth. I can't believe I did it.

"_**Michiru...**_"

"_**What's your name...?**_" I hear her garble.

"_**Kouhei.**_" I answer. I watch my tears fall into her blood.

"_**That's a pretty name... Don't cry Kouhei...**_" She hacks up another rush of blood.

"_**Don't die, don't die, don't die...**_" I sob, grabbing her hand and holding her tight.

"_**It doesn't hurt anymore... Thank you... Kou...**_" Her voice drifts off.

Her eyes turn blank.

Glassy.

Unseeing.

Dead.

_**I let Michiru die.**_

"No. No." I mutter. I caress her head, thinking that she's still watching me, trying to convince me to stop crying. Deep down, I know it's useless.

_**I killed Michiru.**_

I rear my head back, and I scream.

"_**NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**_"

I hear a crack of wood. "_**STAY BACK!**_" I roar. A silver haired woman and a black haired woman step out from the tree line.

I held Michiru's head close, watching the silver haired woman gasp at the sight of all the blood.

"_**STAY BACK!**_" I roar, a river of tears cascading down my eyes.

My head begins to throb, and I feel myself sway to the side. My head hits the ground.

_**And as blackness overtakes me once again in my life, I notice that I'm still holding Michiru's hand.**_

* * *

><p>I awake in a bed.<p>

My eyes snapped open, and I pushed myself up. I was in some fancy bed, in the middle of some fancy room somewhere.

"You're awake. Thank god."

My eyes drift to a silver haired, red eyed woman.

I had seen her in the forest.

"I'm so glad we managed to save at least one of you."

Save at least of us? Is she talking about the children...?

One of us?

_**One?**_

_**Me?**_

...

They could only save me? _**No**_. My mind drifts back to Michiru, and the murdered boy in the forest. The other children must have succumbed to the parasites in their bodies.

"What's your name?" The woman asks me, reaching to my side. I reflexively flinch, until I notice she's just reaching out for a pitcher of water, pouring some in a glass. She hands it to me, and I take it gingerly.

I suddenly notice that my throat is parched. Very parched. I throw back the water quickly, trying to clear and get some moisture into my throat. I hand her the glass quietly after I finish.

And then I suddenly burp.

The woman giggles at the burst of air from my mouth.

I look down. "I'm Kouhei Takeda." I tell her.

"Irisviel von Einzbern at your service."

...

All those children died. And I couldn't save one I promised I would save. _**DAMN IT**_. I grip the sheets around me until my hands are pale.

"What're your parents' names? We'll get you home as soon as possible." Irisviel von Einzbern says.

"..." I don't have any parents, not anymore.

I can think of two names that come up in my head. One is more prominent than the other.

"Kotomine Kirei."

Her eyes widen, and she chuckles nervously. "Is that so? Then rest, we'll have you back with him before you know it." She urges me back into lying down, then takes the pitcher and glass and leaves the room.

Did Kirei know these people?

I didn't know. So I put the thought in the back of my head, and I let myself drift to sleep...

* * *

><p>When I woke up again, morning light drifted through the windows.<p>

"Are you okay?"

And this time, sitting by my bedside, is Kotomine Kirei with Caren in his arms.

I nod quietly with a soft smile on my face. His hard look brightens, and that small smile appears on his face as well. He looks much more relieved. "Now, let's go." He gestures for the door.

I throw the blankets on me off, and I stand. My knees feel weak, very weak. My hands felt as equally frail, as my mind brings me back to the events of last night. I don't want to think about it anymore. I'm going to try to put it behind me. I did what I could. Even if what I could do wasn't good enough.

He leads me into a fancy hall. The place seems like a castle, and even more fancy than Rin's place. Through another door, we end up in a dining room. Sitting beside a table is Irisviel and that other black haired woman. Another man stares at me with a calculative look, as if trying to gauge who I was for some random reason I didn't know.

"We'll be leaving, Emiya."

Emiya, Emiya, where have I heard that name?

My eyes widen a bit. _**Magus Killer**_, Emiya Kiritsugu? That Emiya?

"You know where the front door is. Or where what's left of it is anyway."

"At least stay for breakfast. Your son and daughter must be hungry." Irisviel asks.

Kirei and I share a look. I raise an eyebrow. He smiles, and shrugs. "Why not."

...

He didn't disagree with the fact she called me his son.

Confusion struck me first, as Irisviel set down a plate of pancakes before each of us, including Kirei and Caren. She then sat down herself, and struck up a conversation with a blonde haired woman and that black haired woman. Kiritsugu on the other hand, simply takes a bite from his pancake, then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cigarette and lights it.

_**Shink.**_

The black haired woman has a gun aimed at Kirei's head as he held a Black Key before Kiritsugu's face. He lopped off the smouldering butt of the cigarette with a twitch of his hand, and then dematerialized the blade as the shocked man looked him in the eye. "I don't appreciate you smoking in front of my children." He explained.

The black haired woman holstered her weapon, sitting down quietly as I just stared at him. Kirei sighed, then proceeded to help Caren eat her pancake.

"Told you people don't like it."

Kiritsugu just looks blankly at Irisviel.

For some apparent reason, we're staying here for longer than I thought. Kirei was discussing something with Kiritsugu, as I watched Caren run about the castle. The black haired woman and the blonde haired woman watched alongside me. The blonde haired woman referred to herself as Saber, while the other named herself as Hisau Maiya.

"Your father seems like a nice man." Saber tells me absentmindedly, watching Caren explore.

"He is." I answer. I look up at Maiya, as she fiddles with a gun in her hand. She pulled off the slide, checking the insides.

"Can I get one of those?" I ask her.

"Why?" She asks in a blank tone.

"Um... So I'm not defenseless when things like this happen." I reply, looking down.

"Well..."

After a very long lecture about gun safety and stupid things one shouldn't do with a gun, and a short explanation on how to use it and how it worked, she had handed me a long box of pistol bullets, and the actual pistol.

"It's a Walther PPK, 22. caliber and equipped with a silencer. I've given you two magazines and fifty bullets. Be careful with it." She advised me.

I nod. Now I feel like that foreign spy I saw on TV a few nights ago.

Most people my age would take this weapon and go shoot something they really shouldn't have shot in the first place. I, on the other hand, have _**a reason**_ to use this weapon. If I ever see that man again, I'm going to put every bullet into his head before those bug-like eyes can blink. I'm going to kill him.

_**For Michiru.**_

"Kouhei."

"Maiya."

All our heads turn to see two men walk up to us. I stifled a giggle.

Kiritsugu had a black eye while Kirei walked with a slight limp.

"What happened?" Maiya asked Kiritsugu.

"Nothing important." He muttered.

Caren ran up and latched onto her father.

"Let's go, Kouhei." Kirei told me.

Once we had left the castle in a hurry, I asked the one question.

"What happened?" I asked.

"... We have a truce now." He replied.

"But why did he have...?"

"_**We had a minor disagreement.**_"

* * *

><p>I sat in Kirei's office, browsing through his notes on thaumaturgy. There's a lot of stuff here I'm willing to learn. Kirei was out doing stuff for the war, and Risei was taking Caren for a day out. I was here in the office, trying to figure out how to do some of these things. I twirled a Black Key in one hand, reading over a book on alchemy. It was quiet...<p>

It's been a week or more so since I've come to live with Kirei and his family at the Church. Due to the events of two days ago, I haven't gone to school in a while. Watching TV all day has lost its novelty, and though I considered practicing with the firearm Maiya had given me, but I didn't want to waste the bullets on something that wouldn't be productive to use them on.

I continue to read the book on alchemy. Mother taught me the basics of alchemy before... Before she died. She said she had fun teaching me about it, and I really was interested in it. I remember her marvelling at my achievements.

I wanted to learn more. I wanted to make my mother proud. So I studied. But it still feels kind of lonely, just sitting here reading a book.

I can't strike up a conversation with Caren, and Risei and Kirei are more often than not busy.

I wanted some company. So when I read over a kind of alchemy that would give me a companion, quench some aberrant loneliness, it caught my attention. It would be a difficult process, but it would be worth it. It would prove that I can be a proficient alchemist, and I did my mother proud. I smile, as I read the name and the basics.

"_**Homunculi...**_"

I slam my head on the desk, hours later. The process is much more difficult than I thought it would be. I'd need tens of thousands of yen, much more knowledge, and the weight of murder on my shoulders if something were to go wrong. That kind of kills my enthusiasm. I put the book on alchemy away, looking for something else to do or read.

I find something rather interesting in the drawers.

"Adoption papers?"

...

With my name, and Kirei's.

An emotion I don't really know how to explain fills my chest.

I can define it as some sort of happiness. A strange kind of relief. I can have a family again. But this is just a piece of paper in a legal system.

I already felt like part of their family after that night in the chapel upstairs.

I put the papers back where I found them. And then I hear the phone ring. Nothing can ruin the feeling I have today. No weird things in my crap, no difficulty bar for my dreams, _**nothing**_ will ruin this day!

I answer the phone. "Hello?"

"_**KOUHEI! KOTONE'S MISSING!**_"

My heart drops into my stomach, gets digested, goes through my guts, and falls out my ass.

Shock hit me first. Then worry. Then fear. And finally, I found the will to speak.

"_**WHAT?**_"

* * *

><p>I found Rin waiting outside the train station. Without hesitation, I had left the safety of the Bounded Field, armed with a Black Key and a pistol, and I had run out into the city to search for my new friend with another friend. "What happened?" I ask her, skidding to a stop.<p>

"Kotone-chan didn't come to school today! And the police called the teachers!" She exclaimed, worry flaring in her eyes. "_**She's gone!**_"

_**God, please make sure Kotone's safe.**_

"Do you have any leads? How do we find her?" I ask Rin, playing on those missing persons episodes of those crime shows I see on TV.

She freezes, giving it some thought. "I don't find it normal, the way she disappeared."

"How so?"

"Kotone's smart enough to walk where there's people watching, and no one can snatch her." She explained. "There was a lot of traffic, and she just disappeared. Someone would have stopped anyone trying to take her. But it's as if she just disappeared into thin air."

"..." I give it some thought.

Teleportation? I doubt it. Illusion magecraft? Maybe, but not likely due to all the people.

...

Memories of what happened to me shoot through my head. Mind control. Clouding my senses to make me do things I had no will to do. That's what might be happening.

...

If that's happening, then that man might be responsible. He might be doing horrible things to them. I shudder, as the memories of the parasite come up in my mind. I don't want to think of such a thing inside Kotone.

But if that happened... We needed to hurry.

"Mind control..." I mutter, loudly enough for Rin to hear to hear. Her eyes widen at the suggestion.

How am I supposed to sense mana and its applications? We're in a city! Traces of natural mana are practically everywhere! I shove my hands into my pockets and I grip the hilt of my Black Key...

Black Key? What about the miniature one?

I pull out the diamond sword, placing it in the center of my palm. It's still giving out that heartbeat-like pulse. I feed mana into it. And I watch it rise, and start to spin in a circle.

"A mana compass..." Rin murmurs. "My father told me about those. They sense mana and point to the source. The device senses the mana, and it moves the pointer in the right direction."

So in substitute for a metal device, my energy-sensitive body is the one sensing mana, and the diamond sword serves the pointing stick. Sounds simple enough. I tune into my mind, feeling my circuits come to life. I feel around for traces of mana, or specifically prana turned into mana.

A short jolt of pain hits my forehead.

"_**Ahh...**_" I groan, trying to rub away the pain. But I watched the diamond sword jam it's point towards a direction. We have our first lead.

"Come on!" Rin shouts, tugging me in the direction the sword pointed. I kept my hand close to my chest, trying to concentrate and keep mana flowing into the sword. The evening light descended upon the city. Very soon it would be dark. I was still very worried about Kotone. But now I had reason to be worried about ourselves.

Things hide in the darkness. Terrible things. I had my sword, and I had a gun. I think I'm ready.

I hope I'm ready.

Rin slows down, as we keep our eyes on the sword. It leads us through alleys, down streets, an endless maze through the quickly darkening city of Fuyuki. A small breeze continuously swept by us, sending chills down our spine.

We had to find Kotone. We had to find her.

I don't want to think of the otherwise.

We're in an alley, a close eye on the sword as it points further before us. And my eyes widen. Rin yanks me to the wall, and I quickly have my back to it. We see a shadow come up on the street.

"Come on, come on."

An orange haired young man lead a child by the hand. What struck out to me was the way the child's eyes seemed blank, unseeing. He hobbled along, almost drowsy. That wasn't natural.

Nor was the purplish glow of a bracelet around the hand the man led the child by.

There was our culprit. There was the guy who had taken Kotone.

I reach into my bag, pulling out the gun. Rin stared at it, perhaps a bit scared. I load in the magazine, cocking it once. "You're not going to kill him, are you?" Rin asks.

"Maybe." I answer, putting the silenced weapon in a pocket on the inside of my jacket. "Come on." We run across the street, and go into another alley.

We sneak through the alley, hopping over garbage and paint cans. As soon as we come out near the end of the alley, I spot the same orange haired man. And this time he held two kids by the hand. "He's really controlling them somehow..." Rin said. I take out the gun again, aiming it at the man's head. It's too risky, and not worth the shot.

"We follow him." I keep the gun in my hand, and we run across the car-less street. I hide behind a newspaper box and Rin hides behind a garbage can. I watch the man lead the two children down stairs into a bar of some kind, and disappear behind the doors. Okay, I have my gun ready; I have my Black Key ready.

Let's do this.

I run forward, racing towards the entrance to the bar. The sword is still floating in my hand, aimed straight towards the bar's door. I turn on my heel as soon as my feet reach the top of the stairs, ready to barge in and start shooting the bastard who was kidnapping and/or killing children. The sword spins wildly, then jams right towards the door.

Pain blasts through my head, as the shock of such strong mana reacts to me.

"Stay close." I tell Rin, as I walk down the stairs.

Gun in one hand, other hand resting on the hilt of my Black Key. I walk first into the bar. It's dark in here, only dim lighting illuminating the rooms. I see stools, glasses, upended chairs and tables. No people. Wait. In there, deeper into the bar. I take those few steps forward.

And I feel like gasping.

Children lay down all over the inner parts of the bar. Some lay on chairs, some sat on stools or chairs, and others just lay like discarded dolls on the ground. All of them had those open, glassy, unseeing eyes. The same eyes Michiru looked at me with as she lay dying in my arms. I thought they were dead, and that I was too late. Then I spot the person I was looking for, laying down.

"Kotone!" Rin cried.

We ran to her side, lifting her up. She wasn't dead, and she was faintly breathing. She had those eyes, those glassed over eyes. She was still under some sort of control. I send my prana into her, feeling around. No parasite, nothing. And I was very thorough. All that was inside her was supposed to be there. I think. Do I look like a professor on the female anatomy?

"She's alive." Rin breathed, a smile on her face.

"Thank God." I breathe myself.

"Oh, what do we have here?"

Rin and I freeze. Standing over us was that orange haired man, holding two kids by the hands. He tossed them to the ground, and they just fell over with no resistance. They crumpled to the floor like dolls. Okay. Time to act.

The man walked around to Rin, kneeling beside her. I watch her pale, begin to sweat. "We're just about to start the party. I guess we can fit two more people in." I see him grab her shoulder.

"_**GET AWAY FROM HER!**_" I shout, standing up and socking the bastard in the face with my tiny fist.

"Why you-" The man stands up, his attention drawn on me. He reaches for me, but I weave away from his hands. "_**Get over here!**_" I back away into the main part of the bar; watch the man as he follows me. I can't shoot him where he stands, I might hit Rin or another kid. The man reaches for me again, trying to grab me.

I grab an empty beer bottle, and smash it over his head. The man falls to his knees with a groan. "_**No more playing nice!**_" He lunges at me, trying to grab at me with his hands. I can't let him touch me; I might get put under his control. I dodge him, trying to think of a way to break what was controlling the children.

That ominously glowing bracelet. That's a fairly obvious target.

I lunge for the bracelet on his wrist trying to yank it off.

"_**Made my job much easier.**_"

My vision begins to cloud as his right hand grabs my neck.

"_**No use for faulty goods. Say hello to God for me.**_"

My vision clouds with a purple haze. I try to break out of the man's grip, but it's no use. His grip stands firm, and the longer my body is in contact with his skin, my vision begins to cloud even more. The foreign energy is fought by my prana, allowing me to have just a bare amount of control over myself. But the man's physical grip is too strong.

He's going to choke me to death. The purple haze grew stronger. I can barely breathe. My sight begins to fade.

_**And it all slowly turns to darkness.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>You cannot fight me.<strong>_

_Why?_

_**We are powerful. You are nothing.**_

_So what?_

_**You will not survive. You cannot survive.**_

_I can try._

_**You are worthless. Accept your end with dignity. Die for us.**_

_No I won't._

_**Why won't you die?**_

_That's what I should be asking you._

_**DIE.**_

_No, I won't._

_**LET US KILL YOU. LET US CONTROL YOU.**_

_I don't want to die._

_**We'll make it painless.**_

_**We'll make it so you won't have to feel a thing.**_

_**You'll feel like you're just going into a deep, deep sleep.**_

_I don't want to die._

_I won't let you kill me._

_Because I am going to kill you._

* * *

><p>A surge of prana filled me. I feel a hand grip my shoulder, while I see a hand grip the bracelet. It's Rin. She's here to save me.<p>

"_**BREATHE KOUHEI!**_" She shouts.

A blue light engulfs the purple light. Rin's flooding her mana into the bracelet, trying to overload it. I try to pry the fingers away from my neck. It's working. I'm going to live.

I reach my hand into my pocket. I pull the hilt of the Black Key out into the air. And I materialize the blade. I'm going to do this.

And as Rin's mana shatters the bracelet into pieces, I jam the length of the blade into the man's shoulder.

I hear him scream, and let go of me. I see the children stir awake, some started looking around, others started crying.

"There's no time to cry! Run!"

Rin starts directing the children out of the door, while I stare down the man with a bloody sword in hand. "_**You bastard!**_" He shouts at me.

A girl is still sitting behind him, crouched up and crying. It's Kotone. Damn it. Make this quick.

I dematerialize the blade, and pull out my gun. The man's eyes widen to the size of plates. "I don't have time for you." I aim for his stomach.

And I yank back on the trigger.

_**BANG.**_

The bullet goes through his guts, and comes out into the wooden floor. He coughs up blood, and falls to the ground. "_**Damn it...**_" He mutters.

I run around him, straight for Kotone. I grab her hand with one hand, using my other to caress her face.

"You're safe now. Let's go."

"_**Kouhei-kun?**_"

She seems frail. I sling one of her arms over me, and help her stand. She limps with me towards the bar's door. "_You're safe now._" I breathe. I turn back to the bleeding man.

He looks up at me, a nervous smile is on his face.

"_**Come on kid, help me...**_" He urged.

I narrow my eyes at him, then turn around to leave.

"_**Go to hell.**_"

* * *

><p>I help Kotone stand, as the children crowd around the police officers. A few squad cars had shown up, officers and ambulances tending to the kids. "It's okay now."<p>

"_You and Rin-chan came to save me..._" Kotone murmured.

I smile at her. "It's what friends do. Are you okay?"

She nods. Tears start falling down her face, as her hand comes up to quickly dry them. My hand beats her to the chase. "Everything's okay now."

I give her a hug. It seems like she needed it.

"You can go home now. Now let's talk to the nice police officer. He'll make sure you get home."

I help her walk to an officer, as I notice Rin watch us from her hiding spot in an alley.

The officer takes care of Kotone, and leads her to an ambulance.

"Kouhei-kun!" She cries, reaching out for me.

I smile at her, and wave my hand. "See you at school!" I say.

"Oh, and what's your name?" The same police officer asks.

"Eh..."

I wonder how Kirei would react if I came home in a police car. Not very well I imagine. I needed a good excuse, and fast. So I pulled one out of nowhere.

"Look! Aliens!" I point dramatically in a direction.

The police officer and a few kids look over there. I take the chance to sprint all the way to Rin. And when they turned around, I had magically disappeared. Heh.

"You okay?" Rin asks, reaching for my neck.

I flinch at her touch as my neck is still sore.

"I'm fine." I assure her. "Now let's get home."

I take my first step, when I feel pain zap my head. I pull my miniature sword out, watching it float. And point itself towards the sky. I grip it and shove it into my pocket, as my head looks up. I see something falling. And I watch that thing hit the ground.

It's some sort of starfish like abomination, with multiple tentacles and feelers. It pulses, then rises up taller than we are. I pull out my gun, aiming at it. I start pulling back on the trigger.

_**BANG.**_

_**BANG.**_

_**BANG.**_

_**BANG.**_

I pull out my Black Key, materialize the blade and I stab it right into the now bleeding mass. I feel it twitch. Somehow, some way, it's not dead. I pull my weapon back, backing away with Rin. I feel another pulse of mana.

And I blink as a swarm of insects flurry around us. Panic hits me first, but then I notice they're only going for the abomination on the ground. A shadow drapes over me. And I turn around. Rin had fainted, and a man stood there, wearing a hood.

He had pale, sickly skin, and he was surrounded by the insects. He looked me in the eye, with his brown eye and a light blue one. He looked like a corpse, a walking corpse. Kirei warned me about things like him. Beware of demons he told me, the monsters who look like monsters, and the monsters who wear human skin.

I had my gun aimed at him too. He just walked up to me, and pushed it down.

"I am not your enemy." He said. He turned and picked up Rin, and as I poised my sword to stab him in the heart, he turned around again.

"Follow me." He said, passing me and stepping into the alley.

He had Rin in his arms.

So I followed.

* * *

><p>I sat on a park bench watching Rin sleep in another. The man eyed me.<p>

"What's your name?" He asked me.

"Kouhei Takeda." I answer, hand still gripping the hilt of the Black Key.

"Matou Kariya." He introduced himself, "Didn't your parents tell you to introduce yourself with your last name first?"

"I don't have parents anymore." I answer, flinching.

He whistled, looking away. What was he waiting for? Probably he was waiting for Aoi, since he had called her on a payphone. But why?

A car stops beside the park, and I can see Aoi run out.

"Rin! Kouhei!" She cried.

First she ran to Rin, making sure she was okay. Then she turned to me, her eyes widening at the weapon in my hands.

"Kouhei, put that away!" She scolded me.

"But-"

"Put it away. Kariya-kun's not an enemy." She told me.

I dematerialize the blade, still staring at the man, Kariya, with as fearsome a look as I could muster.

"Why are you doing this?" Aoi asked the man.

He pulls of his hood.

He looked like a corpse. He had white hair, different coloured eyes, and the state of his skin. If he wasn't a walking corpse, then I could tell that the man was dying. What was he?

"What...? What's all this about? What're you doing here?" Aoi asked him, worried.

"This is the Matou family magic."

Matou family magic? Necromancy?

"You offer your flesh, and let it eat away at your life." Kariya continued to explain.

What do you offer your flesh to? Demons?

"And your sacrifice is repaid with magic."

Sounds a lot like demons.

"But Sakura-chan's okay. I promise to save her before she ends up like me. Zouken only cares about the Holy Grail."

Holy Grail. Was he a master? He was an enemy then! An enemy of Kirei, Kiritsugu, and Tokiomi!

"He promised to free Sakura-chan if I win it for him."

He was going to hurt someone I knew to win the Grail. But if he didn't win the Grail, someone was going to get hurt. Who had the right to win such a thing? Tokiomi? Kirei? Kiritsugu?

They all seem like good people, except they're forced to fight and possibly kill each other for such a thing. As I thought, he continued to talk to Aoi. And then he raised his hand. The shape of a command spell was lit up by moonlight. He was a master.

The master of the "strongest Servant".

"Pray that I win, pray that Sakura-chan has a future." He continued.

If he won... What would he wish for? What would he do to win? Would he kill Kirei and everyone in his way?

And so the man turned around, and he began to walk away deeper into the park.

"Kariya-kun, you..."

Kariya turned around to look at her and pulled on his hood.

"Someday, we'll all come to this park and play, like we used to. And Rin-chan and Sakura-chan can be sisters, like they once were." He said. He looked me in the eye. "You're welcome too, kid. I think Sakura will like you."

"Kariya-kun... Do you want to die? To take Tokiomi, and the other masters with you?" Aoi asked him. Tears began to fall down her face.

"Mother?" Rin had awoken.

"Rin! I was so worried!" Aoi cried, resting her head on Rin's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Rin cried into her mother's shoulders.

It didn't feel right, me standing there and watching such a private moment between the two.

And when I turned around, the man was gone.

But I had noticed the white mask of an Assassin hiding in the tree.

Kirei was going to be mad...

The Assassin disappeared, going off to probably trail Kariya.

I felt a hand grab mine. "Come Kouhei. Let's get you home. Kotomine-kun must be worried."

* * *

><p>I sat in a pew, right beside Kirei. We were silent, like the other times we talked.<p>

"Was what I did wrong?"

He looks at me.

"Do you think it was wrong?"

I shake my head. "If I didn't go... Would Kotone-chan still be okay?" I asked him.

He gives a thoughtful look. "I don't know. But if you did the right thing..."

"... You had an Assassin trail us, didn't you?" I ask him.

"I was ready to have him kill that orange haired man, but you two would have been at risk if I let him go at it inside the bar." He told me. "Surprisingly, I didn't have him kill the Matou master. Would have made my job much easier."

"... Did you hear him talk about that Sakura person?"

"Yes. Yes I did." He answered.

"Are you still planning to kill him?"

"No. Not really."

"He's fighting to save that Sakura person. Rin's sister, I think. What're you fighting for?"

He brings a hand to his chin.

"Caren and you, I guess."

I look down.

"Are you mad that I went to find Kotone-chan?"

"No, I'm not mad. If I were you, I would have done the same thing. Albeit a bit differently."

I nod, and we're quiet again.

"Kouhei, can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"How would you feel about becoming part of the Kotomine family? Do you want to be part of my family?"

I turn to him, and look him in the eyes. A soft smile is on his face, and I feel a smile appear on my own. I hug him. I had a family again.

"_**Yes, Father.**_"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Present Day<strong>_

"Boy, are you alright?"

I lift my head, looking Zelretch in the eye. "I'm fine." I stand, abandoning my ramen and leaving my Master to his feast. "I need to walk."

After I had left him to his food, I found myself wandering Fuyuki again. I had crossed the iconic bridge, I had gone to my empty school, I had visited places I've been with friends. I saw the bar where I had fought for my life. I went to the park where I met Kariya. I even found myself staring down my empty home.

No one was there, no Father, no Caren, nobody. Not even me.

And so my travels brought me to the Church upon the hill. I had entered, and found myself sitting on a pew like I do every Sunday. No one seemed to be here. And then I saw a door open.

And standing there, was Kotomine Kotomine. He walked down the aisle, passing me without a word. Our eyes met, just fleetingly. And I knew something was wrong.

There was no warmth in those eyes, no feeling. No joy, no happiness, nothing. I stand. I'm going to do something drastic.

"What happened to Caren?"

Kotomine Kirei froze in his spot. He turned on his heel, staring at me.

"_**How do you know that name?**_" He said in his gruff voice. It wasn't the gruff, yet warm voice I was used to. It was frozen cold.

"What happened to Caren?"

I barely have time to dodge, as a Black Key nearly skins my side. I pull out a Black Key of my own from my wrist, staring the man down. He meant business. So did I.

"What happened to Caren?" I ask again.

He pulls out three Keys from his jacket, and runs at me. I duck, as the blades slice over my head. I roll past his side, moving closer towards the exit of the Church. There's a cold apathy in his eyes. I run out of the Church as the three Black Keys embed themselves in the wooden door.

As soon as I'm out, I turn into the forest, hoping to get away. I stop to catch my breath, after a while of running. I should be fine now. Well, I thought I would be fine.

Because one second after I lifted my head, a Black Key embedded itself in the tree beside me.

I shift to the side, as more Keys fly by where I once stood. No time to stop, keep running. I sprint through the forest, dodging swords left and right. Kotomine Kirei was trying to kill me.

_**My father was trying to kill me.**_

A Black Key cuts my legs, causing me to fall to the ground. I hit it hard, but it hurts too much to stand. I push myself forward, trying to get away. But a foot kicks me, and I land hard on my back.

I stare up into the cold eyes of my father. There's no emotion, nothing. I'm your son, is what I want to tell him. But in this world... I don't think I was his son.

_**In this world, Kotomine Kirei wasn't my father.**_

But it still hurt, not just my legs. Not just my entire body. It still hurt, just to look in those cold, apathetic eyes. I brace myself for the killing blow.

And I feel sharp, horrendous pain, as a Black Key stabs through my collarbone, and right into the ground.

I feel my entire back grow wet. I'm lying in a pool of my own blood. I stare up at my father, and I can feel myself mouthing for him to help me. But he just stares down at me, unfeeling, not caring.

"_**You'll be dead soon.**_"

And he turns around and leaves.

I lay there dying in a pool of my own blood. I think this was the lesson Zelretch was trying to tell me. Every universe has its differences. From the profound, do the small. The same applies to the people.

The people I know, care about, these people in the other universes, they look the same, maybe act the same.

_**But they are not the same people.**_

_**They are not the people who love me, care about me.**_

_**They are completely different.**_

_**They are not the people I love.**_

_**Because this is not my universe.**_

* * *

><p>"<em>Do you understand now?<em>"

I open my eyes, and through blurry sight, I see my Master stand before me. Probably an effect of my mind. If my master was watching me, then he'd probably laugh at my own stupidity. "_**I understand.**_"

I decide to humor myself. The truth still hurt though.

Zelretch sighed, and my eyes widen as he pulled out the blade. His hands moved down to cover my wounds. And my wounds began to slowly heal. "You're alright now, boy. You've learned your lesson and suffered enough."

He helps me up, but I can barely stand. I feel faint, as if I was going to pass out. He slung one of my arms over his shoulder, and helped me stand up straight.

"Come on. We have a bit of walking to do."

* * *

><p>I limped with my master across grass. We seemed to be in a graveyard. I could barely think straight, but I tried my hardest. "Why are we here?" I ask him.<p>

"There's something you need to see. If I don't show you, then you'll bother me for the rest of our trip."

I hobbled forward, blood loss still taking its toll on me.

And then we stop.

"Look here." He points down towards a pair of graves.

My eyes widen at the sight.

_**Yukari Nishio.**_

_**Kouhei Nishio.**_

"_**... What happened?**_" I force out.

"They both died on that night of the Fourth Grail War." He told me. "That's all I could really find."

I let go of him, dropping to my knees. I crawl towards both graves, staring down. I haven't been to my mother's grave for a while. But right beside it... The skeleton of a little boy whose life was cut short lay in a coffin six feet under. And that little boy was me.

It may have been an alternate Kouhei Nishio, but it was still me under there.

I place my palms on the two gravestones. I feel prana flow in my hands, and the converted mana flow into the stones. A short flash of light later, and then I let my palms drop to my sides. I examine my work.

_**Yukari Takeda.**_

_**Kouhei Takeda.**_

"That's about right, isn't it?"

"You sure about that, Kouhei?" Zelretch asked me.

"I stopped being a Nishio a long time ago. That man is not my family anymore. And besides. I think I would have liked it." I reply, staring down at my own grave.

"It's not your grave. It's the grave of this Kouhei Takeda."

"I know it's not... But it's what could have been."

He helps me stand up, slinging my arm around his shoulders once more.

"Do you understand now, Kouhei? This is a different world. People have been shaped by different experiences. And at the heart of it all, no one is the same person from your world." He explained.

"I understand, Master."

"Do you know the consequences of assuming so, now?" He asked, looking me in the eye.

I reach my hand up to my collarbone. I feel the soft skin where Father- _**no**_, Kotomine Kirei stabbed me.

"_**I understand.**_" I reply.

"I think we can leave this world to its own devices, and it'll come out the same. Are you ready to continue? Or should I just return you to your own universe?"

I hesitate. Then I stop hesitating. I'm ready to do this. I stepped into a new world when I decided to become Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg's apprentice.

"_**Let's go.**_"

He smiles at me with his aged face. He raises his hand, and wind surrounds us. The tear in reality appears before us, the gates of the multiverse appearing behind them. Master helps me take the step forward.

"I wish you luck, Kouhei." He tells me, grinning.

"Thanks." I say, faintly smiling back.

We step through the tear in space and time.

_**A new world awaits us, across the multiverse.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 2 Complete!<strong>_

More of Kouhei's backstory shall come up in later chapters, but now, the story shall take it's main plot.

This isn't the last time they'll step into the Fate/Stay Night universe, but now they're going somewhere else. That choice is still up to all you readers! So post your requests for a canon universe or a variation of a canon universe in a review!

_**Now, I need to relax. My fingers are feeling sore from all the typing. I did this all in a single day! Wow... **__**And so please, R/R, enjoy life, read great fiction, and let the creative juices flow. And not only for you lemon writers. Aw well. – EthernalRain**_


	3. Chapter 3: For Future Reference

**Chapter 3**

**For Future Reference**

_**Life and exams have nearly killed me. I have had recent revelations and groin kicks to my ego, and a bunch of other life changing events happen to me over the time between the last update. I also have survived a computer crash, random love issues, and the flu. And now I come to you with a VERY late update. Exams have been kicking my ass, but now I'm free. School is over. Life can continue at a happy pace.**_

_**I am now free to write fanfiction for about 2 months, and I want to get as much of Across the Multiverse done as soon as I can. Now…**_

**Welcome to ATM Multi-Crossover Universe #17.**

**We highly recommend relaxing after a long day's trip of inter-dimensional travel.**

**One may find the Ahnenerbe Cafe beside Rift #7856 on the 4th known branch of the Multiverse.**

**Beware of megalomaniacs, magical girls, and weirdly dressed hitchhikers.**

**Otherwise, please enjoy your stay.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>POV: Kouhei Takeda.<strong>_

I stumbled through the rift, feeling my feet touch the ground once more.

My arm was still looped around my master's shoulder, as he hefted me up. I didn't know where we were, I still felt weak, dizzy like the last time I had done interdimensional travel. It felt like I had a hangover, of all things. It's not one of my best memories, but there was that one time where Gilgamesh had introduced me to the "wonders" of alcohol. A few bottles of booze later, and my father had "calmly" blown a fuse. That was the very first time I had experienced what my father called "cold rage". First thing he asked the man was the obvious: what was he thinking? Then we both had that moment when you realize something you should have realized before.

The era Gilgamesh came from had no such thing as a "legal drinking age". I felt like crap for hours.

I urge my feet into moving, using a hand to try and wipe away the drowsiness from my eyes. I turn my head in the general direction my master's head is in, a question running to the forefront of my mind. "Where are we?" I ask, moving my hand from my eyes and pressing it against my wound.

"Fuyuki City." I hear his gruff voice say to me.

"Again? Why?"

"Different dimension, boy. We're meeting up with one of my old friends. I know for a fact that she's willing to part with some of her secrets, and perhaps she'll teach you some of them. But I also need her to tend to you. She'll know a few procedures to speed up the healing process, and as soon as you're healed, we'll get some of that teaching I promised in." He explained, urging me to move a bit faster.

I nod to him, groaning a bit as the wound seemed to pulse in pain.

"Still not fully healed, huh? No matter. We'll be there soon."

I sighed, continuing to walk as I tried to ignore the pain. It was hard, since the drowsiness made me a little more sensitive. I know that Kirei Kotomine wasn't my real father. But it still left a mark. If every universe could be strikingly similar but yet different... Was that the Kirei that could have been? Was that what my father could have ended up as? It was hard to even think of it. I sigh myself, speeding up my hobble. Emotional wounds left scars that took longer to go away then physical ones. But like physical ones...

_**There are some that don't go away at all.**_

* * *

><p>I still can barely see by the time we enter the city. I don't know who we're looking for, or why I'm still standing here. The exact place I didn't know, but from the green shading I could barely see, I placed a bit of faith in an assumption that we were on the outskirts of Fuyuki. I see the figure of a building, and a door quickly comes up into my line of sight. I hear the creak of a doorknob, and my master ushers me in. It's dimmer in here, compared to the brightness of early afternoon.<p>

Fatigue still plagues my chest, as I hear and see a figure come up to me.

"Fancy seeing you here. Is this your apprentice?" A voice, which seemed to belong to a woman, asked my master.

"Yes, he is. It's nice seeing you too. How's your sister?" My master's voice asks.

"Doing... Well." The other voice tentatively remarks with a hint of distaste. "So, what happened to him?"

"Wound to the clavicle. Can you help?"

"Get him to the table. I'll see what I can do."

My master urges me down what seems to be a hall, and into a room. He sits me down on what seems to be an operating table, and lies me down. I panic for a second, seriously unprepared for surgery. Why else would I be suddenly put on what seems to be an operating table? I feel my arms and legs being strapped down. I can't move. Drowsily, I turn my head to what seems to be my master.

"Get some rest Kouhei. It'll all be over soon."

And as I feel something slither into my neck, I can feel it all go darker...

And darker...

_And darker..._

_**Until it all fades to black.**_

* * *

><p>I awaken in a bed, shirtless and still drowsy. What had happened? I remembered being knocked out by something, and now I'm here. I'm laying down in what seems to be an empty room, completely empty other than the bed that I lay on. Light reflected softly off the grey concrete walls, from a large window right beside my bed. I sit up, taking a look through the window.<p>

I see a small grass courtyard, framed by what seems to be a two floored apartment building with balconies and walkways. And from what I can see, It's all empty, the grey sheen of concrete spanning over it all. No one's here. I remembered my master taking me here, and that other figure, that feminine voice. I turn my head, spotting my belongings resting in a corner.

I give a stretch, and then I notice the state of my chest.

A long thin X seems to cross over the initial scar over my collarbone, completely straight and even, done with what seems to be careful precision. I really had gone through surgery. Perhaps the damage done to my insides was worse than I thought. I push myself from my bed, and begin walking towards my belongings. I pull on a shirt, strap my bag to my back, and then make for the door.

I stepped into the hall, still as bleakly grey as the room I was in. My steps still have a stumble to them, so I stay close to the wall for balance. My steps take me towards the stairs, and I quickly descend. I hear the noise of something clinking throughout the halls, so I try to get closer to the sounds. My master and his apparent friend should be around here somewhere, exactly where, I don't know.

I ended up close to a door, hearing the noises come at full blast. What was once a clinking was now a full on hammering. The aged wooden door creaks open as I turn the knob, and I enter the room. The hammering falls silent.

"Hello?" I call out, taking in my surroundings.

It seems to be a workshop, a variety of tools blanketing the whole of one wall, strange materials covering the next. An operating table sits in the center of the dim room, a few small windows near the ceiling being the only sources of light. I walk over to the table, brushing my fingers on the cold metal. This seems to be some magus' workshop. It hurts to admit it, but it's far better in quality than mine. Mine's a shed. A shed.

This is industrial strength metal, covered in powerful and almost unnoticeable runes, and obviously costs more than everything in my shed. Including the shed. Yes, I feel very jealous. VERY jealous. I rub my jealousy away, putting it aside. I put my bag on the ground, so I can lean over and observe the table.

"You like?"

I freeze, as arms wrap around my neck. The smell of cigarette smoke and tobacco reaches my nose, and I try to ignore it as I turn my head. I look into red eyes that blink at me, glittering with both mirth and mischief. A fair, feminine face is what I see, a cigarette hanging from her lips. A hand reaches up from around me to brush away red hair, which is done up in a ponytail behind her head. She's about as tall as I am, resting her head on my shoulder. And her head isn't the only thing which is resting up against me…

My face turns as red as her hair, as I pull myself away.

A grin laces her face at the sight of mine. "Having fun there, Takeda Kouhei?"

I frown, placing distance between us by going to the other side of the table.

"Aw, don't be like that."

"Who are you, anyway?" I ask the woman, taking her image in. She's dressed in a white shirt with long sleeves, and long black pants.

"You shouldn't be asking a question like that to a person in her own workshop, you know."

I take another look around, still extremely impressed/a bit jealous. "This is all yours?" I breathe.

"All of it. Every single little thing. And for now to the next week, it's also yours."

I gape at her, my jaw hanging low.

"Your master seems to think you can benefit from what I have to teach you, and I do owe him a few favors. So I'll be teaching you a few things this week, and so we'll be working in here." She explained, sitting up on the table and taking a puff of her cigarette.

"... So you're my temporary master for the week."

"Pretty much." She sighed. "Now, let's start over, shall we?"

"... Okay." I say, blinking. She waves her hand, urging me to sit up on the table. I comply, still keeping my eyes firmly locked with hers.

"So..." She gestures for a name.

I'm starting to feel a bit silly. I hold out my hand with a sigh, and she takes it. "Kouhei Takeda. Nice to meet you." We shake.

"Didn't you ever hear that you put your last name first in an introduction?" She asks wryly, smirking.

"Force of habit." I smirk back.

"I like that about you, Kouhei Takeda." She takes another puff of her cigarette, and then as soon as she takes it out, she gives a soft smile. She fishes a pack of cigarettes from a pocket, opens it, and offers me one by flicking a single one out with her finger. I decline, pushing it in with a finger of my own. She pouts, putting the pack away. Our eyes lock again, this time, instead of hesitation, we have a friendly acknowledgement of each other. She shakes my hand with finality, and with a roll of her fingers, she takes yet another puff of her cigarette.

"_**Aozaki Touko. Nice to meet you too**_."

* * *

><p>I sit across from the rather eccentric redhead who was to be my master for the week. At first, I wondered where my original master was, and what the hell was he doing. But then again, it was Zelretch. For the sake of my sanity, I really shouldn't question these things. After all, he's probably doing something so absurdly crazy with the Second Magic, that I probably wouldn't be able to understand in this lifetime. If most of his legacy was correctly interpreted, then he is definitely doing something crazy.<p>

I look down on what Aozaki Touko wants me to examine. It's a small little gear, fashioned out of what I can tell is iron. I take it between my index finger and my thumb, and it's about the size of a coin. I flip it around, spinning it as I feel the teeth brush against the pads of my fingers. I don't know what Touko wants me to do with it, though. I am curious, there has to be some sort of thing special about it, otherwise I doubt that she would tell me to examine such an insignificant little thing.

"What do you think you can do with it? What do you think it's used for?" My temporary master asks.

"Um… I guess it's good enough for mechanisms, like a clocks, or maybe toys…" I answer, still fiddling with the gear.

"Anything else? What else can that gear be used for?"

"… I've got nothing." I admit to her.

She sighs, waving her hand in a circular gesture, "Can't you think outside the box for a bit? Give me anything, no matter how unorthodox."

"Er… Jewelry?" I put an answer out there, "Anything steampunk?"

"Decent answers. How can that gear be implemented in thaumaturgy?"

"Hm… The composition of the gear could be used in a number of things, perhaps runes. The gear itself, if augmented, could power a few mechanisms that help in thaumaturgy. Clockwork implemented in magecraft is popular, considering the name of the Association's big three."

She nods, a faint smile on her face. "Good, any other things that come to your mind?"

"I'm out of ideas, to be honest." I tell her.

"Well, that's good enough." She takes a small book hidden in a pocket of her pants, places it on the cold steel of the operating table, and then slides it towards me with a flick of her hand. The book meets no resistance, and lands with a soft thud in the palm of my left hand. "Read that, will you? It'll help."

It seems to be a small guide to clockwork and runework. "What's this for?"

"You'll see. Just a simple little project I want you to cover in your spare time." She explains.

"So… What now?"

"We wait for a friend of mine." She tells me, taking a lighter out and fiddling with it. She has a bothered expression on her face, as if she was impatient. "Damn guy is taking too long." She was impatient.

"So, where's my master?" I ask her.

"Off somewhere in Fuyuki. I think he's café hopping again, that friend I mentioned probably saw him. They frequent the same place often. And that friend is probably slacking off as well… He was supposed to be here an hour ago, damn it. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't show up for a while longer."

"So… My master and your friend practically ditched us?"

"He's not exactly a friend, more like a coworker… But yes, they ditched us." She leaned back in her seat, groaning a bit with her head reared to the ceiling. "_**I blame it on the lack of customers…**_" She mutters.

"Customers?" I raise an eyebrow.

She turned her head back down to look at me. "Didn't your master explain anything?"

I shake my head.

"Figures." She pinched the bridge of her nose, "Just like Zelretch to leave out key details."

"So, customers for what?" I ask her, interested.

"You could call it a detective agency of sorts, one that deals with the supernatural and the paranormal." She explains, twirling a finger in the air. Where have I seen that before? Images of a certain red loving temperamental magus leave my head, as another question comes to the forefront of my mind.

"Who lives here?" I ask. "Just you?" There was a lot of space here, and as devoid of life as it looks, there could be people I haven't met yet still living here.

She shakes her head. "That coworker of mine, his younger sister, myself, and now you two are the only people here."

I sigh myself. I want to ask about what she did to my collarbone, but it's not something that I can easily bring up. The scar is still there, but it no longer hurts anymore. Maybe I'll ask my master about it, he was probably there overlooking the operation. Now, I just need to rest, I guess.

Touko leans back in her seat once more, fishing a book out of somewhere. She flips the cover back, and begins to read. After about a minute, she notices, my gaze, then gestures with her book to the book on the table.

"Get reading. You'll need it."

From what I can understand about the topic, it's pretty simple stuff in this book. It's basic clockwork, just powered with parts energized by either mana or od in the place of a mainspring. The power exerted by the energized parts lasts significantly longer than clockwork powered by a mainspring, with a higher torque output. Magecraft-clockwork could substitute for a battery or other source of power, and is more easily sustained than other sources of energy.

Hm… That gives me an idea.

If the power output in magecraft-based clockwork is significantly more powerful than regular clockwork, then one can use magecraft-based clockwork to power elaborate machinery on par with that of technology useable with powerful amounts of mundane electricity. So this is what powers the technology that runs the mechanical elements of the Clock Tower. It might even be safe to say that this form of technology _**IS**_ the base of all of Clock Tower's non-magecraft use technology in the first place. The organization is labeled Clock Tower, after all, who's to say they don't use clockwork?

Now, modern technology can't hope to utilize too much high power in mobile technology without finding a proper power source without hooking said technology to an external power source or hulking around a hefty little battery. A cell phone's battery is good enough to power its basic functions, but one can't possibly hope to power something like a huge fighting robot with it without the power of fiction. With the right materials and the proper power sourcing, one could use a magecraft based power source to make a huge fighting robot possible via mundane methods.

One could use magecraft to make a giant robot that runs on magecraft's rules, such as using magics to lift and control its parts like a really damn big puppet. It's possible on magecraft's rules, but not on mundane rules. But if magecraft is the use of the rules of magic to emulate the rules of the mundane, why can't it be the other way around? Why can't you use the mundane to emulate that which is not? I understand that those people at Clock Tower have a point of view that sticks with the familiar being the most safe, and the "pure" being of highest regard. The unfamiliar modern mundane technology and innovation is considered inferior to the advancements made by thaumaturgy and the familiar mundane technologies of the past, so the thought of mixing the two would easily be considered impure.

But if one were to mix the two…

I could use magecraft to power that which is mundane, and perhaps I can use the mundane to power that which is magical.

As my ideas take root, I flinch a little as a feeling rubs at the back of my head, sending a slight shiver down my spine. Touko and I share a look, and a question I was about to ask was answered. One, there was a Bounded Field here set to notify those within it if something happened to it. Two, it was triggered, something probably crossing the line. At first I prepared for battle, mentally readying myself. A short look from my temporary master told me that my first notion was wrong.

The things crossing were friendly.

It had been about two hours since the start of the "lecture", and Touko got up from her seat. She gave a stretch, drawing my attention to her… Er… _**Assets.**_

With a faint redness shading my cheek, I quickly dive back into my reading.

"Come on, I'll introduce you." Touko tells me, gesturing with her head towards the door. I get up and stretch myself, as feeling seems to return to my sleeping legs. She's already out the door by the time I catch up with her. We walk through the dimly lit hall, and I take a better look of my surroundings. This place seemed less abandoned, more like unfinished. The barebones of the apartment were here, but no aesthetics. Kind of like a slightly muscled skeleton.

Believe me, I know what I'm talking about.

We enter the foyer, just a larger room with a few seats, sofas, random furniture littered about. I spot a desk occupied with a computer, and another table with a decently sized TV hooked into the wall. I guess this is the main office of Touko's detective agency. I plop my butt into a sofa, flinching a bit as I sink in further than I'm used to. Everything here was pretty old, other than the stuff that was obviously brought in. Touko takes a seat at another chair, staring out the glass doors of the apartment.

"Touko!"

Two people enter through the clear door, bags of what seem to be groceries in hand. One was a young black haired, blue eyed man, decked completely in black, wearing glasses and was around my age. Behind him was a girl, black haired black haired and blue eyed like the man, but she also seemed to be around my age, or at least a bit older than Caren. The two waved at Touko, who raised a hand and waved them over.

As soon as the man reached her, she dove at him. He flinched with a cry of surprise, but kind of relaxed after he realized her true target. Touko had her arm shoved into one of the bags, fishing around for something. A cry of victory met my ears as she triumphantly pulled out a smaller bag. It was filled with a bunch of red boxes, and suddenly I knew what she was so excited for.

I don't know whether to be a little surprised or worried a bit. At the rate my temporary master goes through cigarettes, she'll end up the same as Kiritsugu Emiya. No matter how good a magus you are, when you do that kind of thing to your body, you probably won't survive. It was a big shock about five years ago. No one expected it. I felt sorry for his family, as he just died so suddenly. Hell, the Clock Tower was in an uproar. When such a renowned/infamous magi dies so suddenly, people doubted he was dead. Heck, most of Clock Tower fears he'll come back to life and kill them in their sleep.

But the cold hard truth was that Kiritsugu Emiya died of _**lung cancer**_. From smoking up a storm during the Fourth Grail War.

No bullets, no glorious battle to the end. Just dying a weakened man surrounded by family and friends. His will passed on to a young boy who is now becoming a great guy in his own right. Yeah, Kiritsugu would be proud of his son. Then again, the guy will probably catch the attention of Clock Tower in the future, considering his heritage. With the identities of both of our fathers to think about, I should be expecting some action to be taken for us or against us when the time comes that they find out which relatively (in)famous individuals we happen to be related to in some way.

Well, at least we'll have some support to help us through our obstacles. I'll have my family and Zelretch, and I'm fairly sure Shirou's got one Tohsaka Rin by his side. He has already gained her slightly divided attention. I pity him. I pity him so much. The space under Rin's scrutiny is like a wasteland. Nothing can grow there, and anything that tries but cannot persist will go up in flames.

The man, Touko's friend, sighed as he set the bags of groceries on a seat, turning to me. His eyes widen in recognition from behind his glasses. He raises his hand out to me, and I politely shake it.

"Kokutou Mikiya, nice to meet you, Kouhei."

"Likewise." I reply, as the recently identified Mikiya nods with a smile. He seemed pretty friendly. I turn to the girl who eagerly followed him. From what Touko told me, this was his younger sister, following him with vigor like Caren had when we were kids. I kind of miss it. Not really, since I have more privacy. At least my friends and the general populace don't know we used to take baths together. If they did know, I'd die of embarrassment. That, or Caren would steal my Black Keys and use them to disembowel me. Then I'd die.

Mikiya turned to his sister, pointing towards me. "Introduce yourself, Azaka."

The girl had paid me little mind earlier, but at her brother's insistence, she gave me a curt bow. "Kokutou Azaka." She said quickly, before her attention snapped back to him…

I sense a kind of complex here… A disturbance in my moral force… Well, I'm tolerant of this kind of thing and I won't judge. That still doesn't quell the awkwardness. Touko sensed my awkward feelings, and then walked over to us. She plucked a cigarette from a pack, eagerly trying to light it.

"So, anything new?" She asked Mikiya.

"Well, I've found a case."

Touko perks up at the sound of employment, and a smile grows on her face. "What kind of case? Can we work on it soon?" She asked, so eager for the answer she hadn't yet lit her cigarette. If it's something paranormal/supernatural, this should prove interesting.

"Just a haunting, a Wraith's wreaking a bit of havoc at some private school. The local priest is having a rough time dealing with it."

"So, what's it doing? Is it like that last case, with the animals-"

"Nah, it's just doing throwing about furniture, frightening students, it's doing things straight out of a children's book. It's not going to hurt anyone, but the priest's still freaking out about it. I've never seen a member of the Church so uptight and paranoid."

You know, that sounds like a priest I know… But it couldn't be…

"Where is it? We can take Kouhei along, it'll be good for his training."

"Ah… Lemme see…" He pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket, and his sister peers over his shoulder at it.

"So, where is it?" I ask him, now curious myself.

"Just some place called Saint Paulo Miki Private High School."

…

Everyone turns to me, raising their eyebrows as my jaw dropped to the floor. Shock draped over my face, then wonder, then surprise, then a bunch of other emotions that accumulated into a giant moment of WTF. Wow. I did not expect this. Though I did expect Father Tsurugi to freak out like this... I didn't think he would call for outside help, I'd expect him to charge in with his claymore and start breaking things that do anything scary.

"Something wrong?" Touko asks.

"_**Oh, nothing… I guess I'm going back to school.**_"

* * *

><p>I stood before the gates of Saint Paulo Miki Private High School, tugging on the collar of this damn stuffy suit. It's Mikiya's, and it's a miracle it fits me. Touko and Mikiya stand beside me, decked out in the same clothes they had on earlier. Our cover is that we're architects, scouting out the library (where the Wraith was apparently seen) for renovations. The library in my world really did need renovations, and I guess this one does too.<p>

"So, we find and deal with the Wraith?" I ask Mikiya.

"Yeah, and then we do that scouting work."

I raise my eyebrow. "Why?"

"Touko here's an a architect, so might as well take advantage of the fact that there are two paying jobs at the same place and time." He explains, as we wait for a teacher to open the gates for us. He turns to talk to Touko as I adjust the bracelet on my wrist. I wonder how everyone's doing back home? Maybe I'll see someone I know in this universe? Heck, I don't really know the difference between this universe and the others.

The gate slides open, and I stare into the eyes of Father Tsurugi.

"So, you're the people?" He asks, fidgeting with something in the folds of his robes. I see a small flash of metal, that of a blade. He had a sword at the ready, prepared for a fight at any second. Father Tsurugi made for a better Executor rather than a priest. But he didn't like fighting, even when he was so damn good at it. Paranoia added, along with eccentric habits, and the fact that he was so jumpy… Yeah, being a priest was probably the best option.

Touko nods, holding up a zippered binder. "I've got everything I need here. We'll get the job done completely, and then leave."

Father Tsurugi turns to me. "You seem… Familiar. Have we met before?"

I shake my head. "No, sir." I answer as politely as I can muster. Maybe an alternate Kouhei Takeda was on the grounds right now… Father Tsurugi gives me a calculating look, as if evaluating me.

"You look so young… Old enough to be a student here… And so familiar…" He narrows his eyes, probably thinking I was a student skipping out of class.

"Well, I'm not a student here." At least not in this universe.

The jumpy priest relaxes, and then gestures with his hand into the school. "Well, welcome then. Feel free to look around, but try to make your business quick."

We step into the grounds of the school, and I take a look around. It's exactly like the school back home, no real differences from what I can tell. I peer into windows, and I can see students listening to lectures from familiar teachers, some were writing notes, others doing work, and others trying to feign interest. Just like back home. I miss my friends already… I consider trying to go to my old homeroom, to see if I was there. But it probably wouldn't be the best option…

I take a look at a clock inside one of the classrooms as I fall into step behind Mikiya. There's about a few more minutes before lunch starts. And I'm feeling a bit hungry myself… It's Wednesday today, they have those sushi platters from the supermarkets in today. Haven't had those in weeks, since I spent so much time in the library at lunch helping Christopher cram some extra studies in…

Father Tsurugi leads us into the school building, and down a hall. I notice some teachers and students looking at us, but they turn away at the sight of Father Tsurugi. It was impolite to stare at someone's guests. It felt weird though. I should be sitting down at one of those desks, studying my butt off. Now, I'm worlds away having the adventure of a lifetime. It was so worth it.

"Here we are." Father Tsurugi points towards a door, which I knew belonged to the library. "This as far as I go."

I knew he wouldn't take another step forward from where he stood. Mikiya and Touko began talking towards the library, and I followed. I adjust the bracelet on my left wrist a bit; making sure it was in the perfect position to quickly draw Black Keys. I don't know what they would do to Wraiths, but they were Keys of Providence. They should at the very least have some minor effect. Hopefully they would.

I step into the library, taking a look around. Row upon row of shelves met my eyes, donning books of every kind. Touko sat upon the librarian's desk, opening her binder. Pages upon pages of runes were inside, and resting on top of them all was what appeared to be a silver knife. She tossed the knife to Mikiya, while she flipped through the pages.

"So, what do we do now?" I ask Touko, pulling up a chair beside a shelf.

"We wait for the Wraith to show up."

I remember various minor exorcisms I've attended with Father and Caren, most of which were simple events involving reverse necromancy, Bounded Fields, and baptisms or blessings. This… This seemed pretty complicated. Then again, those spirits I've seen exorcised were just minor apparitions and records of the human soul. This Wraith had control over the physical world. It could influence and possibly hurt, and worst case scenario, possibly kill.

This wasn't going to be a walk in the park.

"How long is that going to take?"

Touko shrugs, continuing to flip through notes. She tosses me a poster, which told students to stay out of the library. "Set that up on the door." She ordered me, as Mikiya began to patrol the library, pausing every few steps to place a rune here and there. I stand from my seat, and head out for the door. I set it up on the door, taping it to the painted wood.

"Seriously, how long is this going to take?" I ask her again, making back toward my chair.

"Don't know. It'll show up when it shows up. At usual, it'll wait till there are less people around, and since lunch is starting soon, I doubt it'll show up until later."

I sigh, as I sit down. A book catches my attention, and I swipe it off the shelf. Time to play the waiting game, I guess. I'll try to be patient, but it was kind of disappointing. I thought we would get right into the thick of things, so I had prepared completely. But now, I tried my best to lower my guard, and relax. When I'm not relaxed, I do stupid things. And while I'd love to get away with doing stupid things at school, I really, really shouldn't.

As soon as I flick the cover back, my stomach grumbles.

Touko raises an eyebrow at me, an amused expression growing on her face. "Told you so. You should have eaten before we left."

I grumble, deciding to bear with it until later. I try to begin reading but as soon at I finish the first sentence, the book was swiped out of my hands. I slightly narrow my eyes at the red haired woman as she kept my reading material out of reach. She just smiles down at me. "Just go get something at the cafeteria, ask a teacher for directions or something if you don't know how to get there." She advised me, setting my book back into the shelf.

"_**Fine.**_"

* * *

><p>And that was why I sat in the cafeteria, ignoring funny looks as students stared at the guy who was a student's age and wore a suit, sitting alone and awkwardly eating the classic Wednesday sushi. I try to spot some friends, but they were probably eating in class. A small smile grows on my face as I see some girls gush at me. It's extremely flattering.<p>

I prod a piece of sushi, as I take a look around. I loosen the damn tight tie from my neck, and remove the jacket. A relief washes over me as I can finally move and breathe properly. Girls gush. Ego is stroked even further. Some guys that I recognize glare at me. Yes, this rarely happened back at school. Then again, I simply spent time with friends holed up in the classroom, or on the roof, and I often looked like crap due to late night experiments draining me of sleeping time.

Now I have proper sleep, good looking clothes, and now a satisfyingly full belly. I'm off to a good start. I relax, just looking around the flow of students. Right as I was about to leave, a rather beautiful girl sits down across from me. Our eyes meet, and I take in their light brown color. Curly brownish-black hair flows down to her shoulders, framing a rather pretty face. A smile is on her petite lips, and she says:

"Nice to meet you."

For a second I freeze, and then gather myself quickly. I don't recognize this girl, but she seems to be a third year at this school. I'd honestly remember meeting such a pretty girl, but her face seems to trigger no memories. Seriously, I don't know her. Well, I don't know all of my classmates either, but that's not the point. I believe I should remember Christopher or another one of my friends flirting with the girl in front of me. Hm.

"Nice to meet you too." I reply.

"So, what brings you to this school?" She asks, opening up a small platter of sushi.

"I'm here with an aunt of mine, I'm going to help her design the renovations to the library." I reply to her question, and crack open a can of soda.

"You work? Why would a person our age work already?"

I snort. "Is my age that obvious?"

She smiles. "No, but you just told me what I need to know."

I blink. She's good. "Hm. I really am actually seventeen, going on eighteen." I tell her.

"So, why are you working? Shouldn't you be in school right now?"

Technically, I am in school right now. Just in another universe. "I've got a career ahead of me, and I decided to pursue it now instead of waiting. Might as well get some early experience."

She quickly eats a piece of sushi, and then shoots off another question. "So, how's that doing for you?"

I shrug. "Pretty well, I guess. Life is… Good." I answer. "What about you? How's life and school?"

Now she shrugs. "Good… Among other things."

My eyes glance towards a clock on the wall. Soon, the church bells would ring to signify lunch being over. I can handle the trigger to my magecraft fairly well, but it'll be kind of hard to focus with all of these people around me. I might suddenly start twitching a little, or sweat… That's why I never really hung around others near the end of lunch. I kinda started to panic, looking a bit nervous.

"So, what does an attractive girl like you want with something like me?" I ask her, trying to find out her motives.

"It's a free world, and this seat was open." She smirks. Still got nothing here. "And an "attractive" girl like me seems to find some interest in why an attractive _**magus**_ like you is on school grounds."

…

I should have known. My eyes slightly narrow, now suspicious. "So that's why. How'd you know?" I ask her.

"You reek of prana use." She tells me, "Mana seems to cling to you, and I can tell you've been using magecraft lately, and something that has prana in it is pulsing somewhere around your neck."

My hand drifts subconsciously to my collarbone, feeling around the scar. This girl was good. It would have taken me a bit of time to figure these things out. "I'm not here to do anything to the school or its students." I assure her.

"I wouldn't say the same for that Wraith, though."

"Hm, so now you know everything." I sighed, looking her in the eye.

She smiles, seemingly satisfied. While we had talked, she had finished her lunch, and now we were just looking at each other and divulging in conversation. With newfound confidence, I decide to push up a maneuver I rarely, notably NEVER, attempted to try.

"So, a pretty girl like you should have somebody in her life." I muse, leaning forward the same way I've seen people do in movies.

"Oh? And what parts of me do you think are pretty?"

Winging it! "Well, your eyes for one… Your hair for another…. That face of yours… And also that voice." I tell her, gesturing subtly with my hand to each of the features I notice. Well, I neglected a few, but I'm sure as hell not going to talk about those.

She giggles a bit, blushing. "You flatter me, sir." She reaches a hand up to twirl her hair with her fingers. With a heavy, intentional sigh, she looks at me. "You don't give yourself enough credit. You're good looking guy in your own right."

Now it's my turn to blush before this really pretty girl. Oh why couldn't I have met her in my universe? I would have gotten to know her in a heartbeat. I think Caren would like her. I surely do.

"Then, may I have a name to match a pretty face?" I smile as warmly as I can. Oh man, I can't believe this is working! It's actually working! Wow, so the first time I ever try flirting with a girl, and I'm succeeding.

She smiles at me, a slight redness dressing those pale cheeks.

"_**Kyouko Takeda-Kotomine. It's been very nice to meet you.**_"

…

…

…

…

_**Oh my lord.**_

_**It's impossible. Yes, it should be impossible. Oh no. Oh fuck it. FUUUUUUUUUUUCK. FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!**_

I reserve the right to swear up a storm. Because how often do people end up accidentally flirting with themselves? Oh god, I _**flirted**_ with myself. Even if it was myself from another dimension, I _**flirted**_ with myself. You don't do these kind of things! I feel so _**weird**_ right now. I thought of myself, or a variation of myself in _**THAT **_way… Oh no…

Okay, there should be a chance that this could be some other girl who isn't a variation of me. Hopefully that's the case. _**HOPEFULLY. OH MAN, WHAT HAVE I DONE?**_

I pray to you God, prove my thoughts wrong!

"Onee-chan!"

My already dropped jaw hit the floor.

A silver haired girl just glomped the girl sitting across from me. With fluttering golden eyes, she nuzzled against Kyouko lovingly. The beauty I flirted with simply smiled, hugging the rather familiar silver haired girl with similar warmth. Okay God, if what I have done was a sin, then please smite me now. I recognized the silver-haired girl instantly. Please prove me wrong, please probe me wrong…

"Caren-chan!" She squealed.

…

I am this close to having a Blue Screen of Death moment. My computer ran Windows, and I had one Blue Screen of Death once. Panicked, and then nearly fainted. Like I am doing so now.

"Onee-chan, don't flirt with this guy! Issei-nii won't like it if you cheat on him!"

… Cheat? This version of myself has a boyfriend who I may or may not kill? I feel suddenly very protective of this relatively "vulnerable" version of myself. Hm. Maybe I'll shift my priorities around a little.

"So, what's your name?" Kyouko asks me, turning away from her, _**our**_, younger sister.

I decide to push a lie. I struggle to get the words out of my mouth a bit, almost having to spit them out. I really didn't to say them, but they were the quickest reply that drifted into my head while it currently ran blank. So I lied, with the one name I thought I would never use again.

"_**Kouhei… Kouhei Nishio.**_"

Shock lined her eyes, as we both turned away awkwardly. She knew what Nishio meant to me, to us. For a second, we were silent while she evaluated me again. Perhaps she could see some similarities of me to a man that was long dead in our hearts. Her eyes widened a slight bit, as conflict seemed to dance in her irises. She has a suspicion of who I might be.

Then surprise drapes over her, and then the initial panic. Then the possible Blue Screen of Death. And finally, her jaw drops. A question reaches her lips, and it's completely different from what I thought she would ask.

"_**Are you my brother?**_"

* * *

><p>I sat in the library, looking down at a piece of paper with an address on it. It's the address to Kyouko's house. My house. Wow, some similarities.<p>

I didn't answer her question, I just took a sheet of paper she handed to me, nodded to whatever she said, and then ran like hell away. When I read the paper, it was an invitation to dinner. In my own house. Wow, how awkward... Touko sat over in another seat, smoking up a storm. Mikiya was reading a magazine in another corner, the silver knife waiting within his reach.

"Something on your mind?" Touko called out to me, putting out her latest cigarette in an ashtray by her side.

"I need therapy." I groan.

"I'm a licensed therapist." She whistles, flicking out yet another white stick from a pack.

"I don't want you doing it. You'll probably just make it worse." I note, lounging back awkwardly in the plastic library chair. I didn't feel like talking about it, especially to someone like her.

"Good, that's not supposed to be my job." She smirked, then took YET another swig of her legalized drugs. "Zelretch is supposed to do that for me."

As if that walking Deus Ex Machina could help me at this point. I fiddle with the bracelet strapped to my left wrist, staring up at the white painted ceiling as the time ticked by. I wondered when I was going to see some action, as I muttered away profanity after profanity. As the hand on the clock hanging from the wall inched closer and closer to the time I was supposed to go to my house- I mean, _**Kyouko's**_ house, I resisted the urge to shoot the thing on the spot, and/or go postal with the shitstorm going on in my head.

So… My female self is in a relationship. The guy's quite possibly dead. Cause of death shall either be cyanide-laced laxative trail mix, eight long and pointy swords that smite horrendous insults to God, or the good old shotgun blast to the face. This kind of behavior is average to the followers of the Eighth Sacrament. Heck, I hear the first member of the Burial Agency is a homocidal sociopath who just likes killing things. Maybe I'll freelance in the future? Or just stick as an Executor while trying to keep studying alchemy?

When I think about it, I'm really not so sure about where my future is going to go. I have no idea on what I want to do with my life. I know what things I want to accomplish before I die, but the course of my life? I really wonder where it's going to take me. I know I'm rambling, but career choices are something I've got to figure out before I graduate.

I don't really feel like going to a university, because a mundane career doesn't interest me a single bit, compared to the wonders of the magical community. Perhaps I'll try my hand at a scholarship with the Clock Tower? I'll have to take up a fake identity then... Or maybe Waver Velvet will help me get in? I hear he's taken up a top position, and he's on slightly good terms with my father.

"What's on your mind?" Touko's voice broke through the silence.

"High school things." I replied.

"Career choices?"

I blink. "How'd you-"

"Old man Zelretch told me to help you a bit there. Have you considered a future yet? Something you've wanted to do?"

Hm… I don't know. But this is an opportunity I can't pass up. So I ask the first question I've always wanted to ask, leaning my head back to look at her. "As an adult magus, how do you make your living?" I ask her, curious. She's an adult, fending for herself out in the world. I wanna know how she's doing it.

"Well, I take jobs, you know, with this little detective agency of mine." She tells me. "I try to keep my funds up by designing things as a part-time architect, and I've been doing pretty well. I've managed to secure an employee who loves his job, and an apprentice who's eager to learn." She grins.

"_**You haven't paid me in two months!**_" Mikiya groans from his seat in the corner.

"We live together! You don't need to be paid when I spend for the both of us!" She argues, tossing a small book in his direction. The book hits him in the side of his head, and he just glares in discomfort at the woman he couldn't do anything against. After all, she probably did own most of the money that went between them. I'd say he's pretty whipped at this point.

"So why are you two living together?" I ask her. "He's your employee, after all… Unless, he's a bit _**more**_ than an employee-" I dodge a book soaring for my face.

Touko frowns, glaring at me. "We're kinda _**stuck**_ here, that's why."

"Stuck? Stuck how? It's not like you guys are stranded on an island or something."

"Not exactly _**stuck**_ in a physical sense… More like, stuck in this _**time period**_."

I stare at her incredulously. "Wait, you're claiming to be a _**TIME TRAVELLER?**_"

She gives me a blank look. "My sister brought us here…" She spat. "She said she thought it would be _**FUN**_, but no, she kidnaps us _**and**_ our office, and then dumps us in another city in another freaking time period. Guess what? _I'm having the __**time**__ of my life_." She frowns, a healthy dose of venomous sarcasm tracing her words.

"You sound like you don't like your sister." I point out, sitting upright now.

"Isn't it obvious? I swear, the aloof brat needs to grow up sometime soon."

"Who is your sister, anyway?"

She sighs.

"_**Aozaki Aouko, Master of the Fifth Magic.**_"

My jaw practically hits the floor.

"_**AOZAKI AOUKO?**_" I gape. "_**YOUR SISTER IS THE BLUE**_?"

"You really couldn't tell?"

"_There aren't many records of her… I've only heard of her from my father, and other sources…_" I mumble incoherently, still wondering why the heck I'm meeting such (in)famous people and others related to them in such a short span of time.

"Hm, figures." She mutters. "She's aloof, careless, and lets important things slip out whenever she wants… Not to mention her _**interests**_…" She shudders with a grimace.

"Um… What interests?"

"Er…" She pauses. "She's got a thing for… _**She's got an obsession for little boys with "potential", if you know what I mean…**_"

…

I shudder.

I think I remember something my father told me back when Caren and I were younger. We used to take trips to the local parks often, playing on the playgrounds. There were a few things Father told me every single time we went out without him, things he said would keep us safe. They were just four simple rules I had to follow.

One, always carry a weapon on hand.

Two, don't ever point your gun at things you know you shouldn't shoot.

Three, always look out for Caren, and have no mercy towards anything that puts her at risk.

Four was among the most important: If a woman with long red hair offers you company, take your sister, walk away, and don't turn _** NOT **_turn she follows you, give her the slip. If you can't,_** shoot **_at her. If that doesn't work, find some way to get away as_** FAR **_as possible._** NEVER **_let her get close to you._** Never **_let her hug you. If she hugs you, and possibly touches a place that is a_** sin **_to play with,_** RUN LIKE THE WIND,**_ boy._** Run faster than you ever could. Run. For the sake of your sanity, your innocence, and the sanctity of Caren's childhood memories, RUN. Just run.**_

Now I know what he's talking about… I started to fear the color red then… Though I believe it was due to overexposure to an angry Rin. I pity the Shirou fellow who got her attention. Well, it drew her "you're a failure at magecraft" attention away from me, and dropped it on him. Hah. I'm safe. Hopefully, for a long time to come. My pride won't be stabbed for a while now.

"So… Your sister's into-"

"_**Do not finish that sentence.**_"

* * *

><p>…<p>

I stood in front of my- I mean, _**Kyouko's**_ house…

Aouko had told me that I could leave and they would deal with any occurences. The Wraith they we were dealing with hadn't shown up yet, and they could handle anything that might pop up. Each of us are starting to get the idea that this was just a little prank set up by a student, maybe one of the magus that attend the school. Father Tsurugi probably expected the same, and sent us to just monitor the library while he went out doing his work.

I walk up to the front door, my hand reaching to knock on the door. But in the creepy Kotomine fashion, the door opens right before my knuckles touch the wood. Bounded Fields used for detection probably have activated, and someone was already there to open the door for me. It still creeps the crap out of people.

I find myself staring for awkward seconds into a young girl's red eyes.

She's got silver hair,and is actually pretty short. Even though she's a child, she seems to carry herself with more maturity than those in her age group, complimented by her choice in what seems to be the clothes of some sort of rich heir. Distinctively European. What, did my female self invite a princess over? But considering her age and hair color, it wouldn't be hard to believe that she could be aquaintances or friends with Caren.

We continued staring at each other, eyes blinking with surprise as we continued analyzing the other, taking the other person's features in, predicting what they'd do next.

"I'm Kouhei… _Nishio…_" I reply, rubbing the back of my head sheepishly.

She blinks at me some more, seemingly unsure of what she should do next. After a few more seconds, she formulated a response.

"So… You're the prick Nee-chan's having an affair with?"

…

_**WHAT?**_

My jaw drops, eyes twitching. "Where'd you get that idea-"

"Ilya, stop pestering our guest."

A teenager in an apron walks up behind the girl, putting a hand on her shoulder and greeting me with a smile. A free hand brushed what looked like white dust (possibly flour) from his hair and then wiped itself on his apron before extending it to me. I shook the hand as I took a look into his brown eyes. He seemed to be friendly, and rather familiar at that. I checked off a mental list of regular visitors to the Kotomine household, trying to remember who this guy was.

We've got Rin Tohsaka, who comes here to have girl time with Caren and rub her accomplishments in my face…

There's also Father Tsurugi, who comes for buisness and to socialize with Father and to advertise a healthy and studious lifestyle…

Then there's Christopher Mackenzie, who comes over to hang out and still thinks I keep porn in the vent that really leads to my workshop…

And then we've got that guy, _**this**_ guy. He comes to our house often with Rin, as they both attend the same school, and helps our stressed out father with the chores and cooking, just to be nice and charitable. He's a great guy, and makes a damn good quiche. He helps Caren with her studies, and helped me with my projects, like building and fixing the shed that houses my workshop. I remember him now, I can't believe I forgot his name.

His name is-

"Emiya Shirou, nice to meet you." The red haired teenager continues to smile as he shakes my hand.

"Kouhei Nishio." I reply, forcing back the urge to choke on my own words.

"Come in, make yourself at home." He tells me, moving himself and pulling the girl to the side to allow me in.

_**If only he knew…**_

I step in, taking a look around. Same hallway that leads to the living room, kitchen, and our bedrooms. The same paintings, photos, and random awards lining the walls. Heck, Kyouko won the athletics awards in her elementary and middle schools too! At the _**same**_ elementary and middle schools I went to! Zombie killing is a rather effective workout. You really break a sweat just fighting them… I like "fighting" the mindless variety that just are literally the walking dead that hobble towards you. In video games.

Now, the superpowered Living Dead variety that accompany vampires? The ones that can take multiple shotgun blasts to the chest? The ones you can stab, stab, stab, and stab, and they just refuse to die? Oh…

Those creep the living hell out of me. I'm not as brave as the Magus Killer. Nor as skilled as him. So when faced with a live monster who wants to eat your face…

Yeah, just do everything to kill it dead.

As my monologue continued, I found myself sitting at a table, peeking around as a flurry of actions went on. Shirou had told me that Kyouko was just getting ready, while a few of their friends were on their way. Okay, now I need to monologue further. Let's see, who's probably coming… There's Rin, maybe Kyouko's equivalent of Christopher (who may or may not be a girl), a few of our other guests, and…

This Issei person. Kyouko's _**boyfriend**_.

…

I must meet this person before I decide to use the laxative trailmix. I remember it's in my pack back at that skeleton of an apartment… The sounds of Shirou cooking meet my ears, as my stomach decides to grumble. I always looked forward to Shirou cooking. He's _**really**_ good at it. From what I can smell, he's making quiche. I grin, happy that at least a few really good things are going well today.

"Hello."

I turn my head, seeing Caren take a seat across from me. Now, with that neutral face of hers, and the propriety of the manner she sits in, she's definitely in interrogation mode. I'm a strange boy in her house about her sister's age, looking relatively good, suited up and seemingly ready to tackle anything. She's judging me for sure. I'd do the same for the Caren back at home. Though I would have a shotgun under the table, laxative trailmix in his food, ready to savor him.

Though I might cut back on the laxative trailmix, as I remember what happened the last time one of Caren's "suitors" came over… Oh, the clogging… _**Oh Dear Lord the Almighty, the clogging…**_

"Hello." I reply, looking her in the eye.

"So what are your intentions with my sister?" Just like Caren, cutting to the chase.

"Nothing, I'm here only as a guest." I answer her calmly.

"I've heard that line before." She snorts, turning to the door as Shirou comes in with that shorter, silver haired girl behind him. The girl, Ilya, sits beside Caren as Shirou sets the table. I don't recognize her, but she seems somewhat familiar for a reason I can't explain.

"Nishio-san." She bows her head in a greeting.

"And you are…?" I ask, bowing my head as well in response.

She smiles.

"_**Ilyasviel von Einzbern, at your service.**_"

…

_**Von Einzbern… Von Einzbern… Von Einzbern…Where have I heard that name before…**_

…

_**The masters of coining homunculi.**_ The Einzbern Family. Now I remember them. I still have some of their notes, albeit pawned from a rather recently deceased member of their family…

Caren raised an eyebrow. "You're still using that name?"

Ilyasviel pouts. "I owe it to my mother." She told her. "What do you expect me to say? My name is Ilyasviel Emiya, daughter of the…" Her voice lowers into a hushed, almost silent tone that wasn't meant for me to hear, "_**Magus Killer?**_"

…

_**SHIROU HAS A SISTER?-!**_

I gape, as more people seem to funnel into the room. I see Father, looking at me with suspicion as he sits at the table. Another familiar guest follows after him.

"Emiya, have you been doing your homework?"

"Ah yes, Tohsaka. Please, have a seat.

Rin Tohsaka, queen of the long lecture. I avoid looking at her, choosing to fiddle with the bracelet strapped to my wrist. She gives me a raised eyebrow. "Who's he?" She asks Father.

"Just an acquaintance of my daughter."

"An acquaintance, huh?" She takes a seat beside Ilya, staring me down. I feel small in my seat, the stares of 3 young women drilling holes into my soul. If I stay quiet, I won't be noticed. Shirou brings in the food, trays of various of his signature dishes placed with care on the table. Caren and my Father say grace as everyone, including me, follows suit. After that, everyone goes for their favorite dish on the table. My mouth waters at the large quiche, and as my hand reaches forward with a knife to nab a slice, my blood runs cold.

Everyone's staring at me, as if I was absolutely crazy.

Well, except for Caren, who looks strangely amused.

"No one messes with my sister's quiche."

"What's this about someone messing with my quiche?"

I draw my hand back quickly, remembering a few things. One, I myself was very defensive of my share of Shirou's quiche. Once, I even threatened to slit Christopher's throat with a butter knife if he dared to nab some from my plate like the way he nabbed food from me during lunch at school. I got _**REALLY**_ defensive of the quiche. Not "_**my precious…**_" defensive, just…

_**Defensive.**_

I look to see Kyouko in what appears to be the female counterparts of my own clothes. She's wearing a thin black jacket, a grey blouse and dark denim jeans. With a big smile on her face, she prances into the room, pulling someone in behind her. I narrow my eyes a little. I don't know the person, but I would like to. Before pulling a shotgun on him.

A teenager stumbled to keep pace with the girl holding his hand, pushing up glasses and clumsily adjusting his rather conservative clothes with his free hand. He quickly managed to compose himself, looking rather more mature and far less exhausted. He looked at Kyouko with a smile, before the two of them took a seat. The young man gave greetings to the rest of the people at the table, before his eyes landed on me.

"I don't believe we've met." He extends his hand out to me from across the table. I reach out to shake it, resisting various urges to break his arm. "_**Issei Ryuudou**_, a pleasure to meet you."

"Kouhei Nishio." I answer politely. It's the most I could do at this point.

He sits down again with an equally polite nod, before turning to Kyouko. She gave him a giggle after some comment I couldn't hear, and then she reached out to take a VERY big helping of the quiche on the table. Even our favorite foods are the same… My eyes slightly widen as Kyouko takes a fork, spears a tiny bit of quiche, and then _**feeds **_it to Issei.

I have witnessed the _**impossible**_.

"Kyouko, you two can act all lovey-dovey later." Rin smirks. "And you Ryuudou, such _**indecent**_ behavior is unbecoming of a member of the student council president, no?"

Kyouko giggles as Issei's cheeks turs a vibrant red, either with anger or embarrassment.

"Ironic for you to be talking about _**indecency**_, Tohsaka." Issei counters her with a look of contempt. "After all, the way you throw yourself at Emiya-" He's cut off when Kyouko clamps her hand over his mouth. She simply smiles, as Issei starts to chuckle at Rin's steaming face and Shirou's oblivious expression.

I found that comment snappy and impressive. My respect for him has risen ever so slightly. We continue to eat, as the table goes from an awkward silence to a more lively tone like I was used to. Caren was happily chatting with father, Shirou was listening to an excited Rin, everything seemed relatively normal. Everything felt like it belonged there, everything fit in.

Except me.

In this world, I was an outsider. I'm not here naturally. I'm not part of this world. My world is literally worlds away across the absolute biggest and most chaotic intersection in existence.

I'd hate to imagine rush hour.

I'm lost in my thoughts as I hand my plate to Shirou, as he rose with Issei to help my Father clean up. The three of them disappeared into the kitchen, the door closing quietly behind them. I was left alone with Rin, Kyouko, Ilya and Caren.

…

Wait up guys, I'm coming to help-

"So Kyouko, who exactly is your friend?"

"I don't know Rin, perhaps we should find out."

I stay rooted to my seat, shriveling under the stares of the four girls. At this point, I may or may not be screwed beyond comparison. In one corner, there's the girl who taught me to fear girls during childhood years numbers eight to ten. In another corner, there's the girl who taught me that I must protect all little girls no matter what kind of crap they pull on me. And the other two are completely unknown factors. So I'm the horror movie idiot who goes into the darkness without a weapon.

And the only weapons I have access to right now are my wit, intellect, and instinct.

My wit is telling me I'm screwed, my intellect is running a blank, and my instinct is simply telling me to run like a dog with his tail between his legs.

This is _**not**_ good.

"So, why _**are**_ you here?" Rin shoots off the first question.

"I'm here as a guest." I answer, trying to pull together my intellect.

"Of course we know that- I meant, why are you in Fuyuki, _**magus**_?" Rin narrows her eyes.

The tension in the room could be cut with a Black Key. Wit tries to come up with an answer.

"The _**same**_ could be asked of you four." I ask.

"Well, I live here, Rin lives here, Caren lives here, Ilya though is another guest, but you? Is a Wraith and a shady looking aunt _**really**_ why you're here?" Kyouko counters my wit.

Oh crap, she probably knows already.

Instinct, _**help me**_!

…

I just want to run right now. Run, hide, finish training, and then get the hell out of this universe.

Kyouko puts both hands on the table and stands. She stares me down with more intensity, our eyes locking. I can tell she's reading me, and I can realize another difference between us other than our gender. This girl has _**confidence**_. She knows what she's doing, and she has the will to make it move forward. There's silence, as we continue to look at each other.

"You know something, you know something that I know, that you _**shouldn't**_ know." Kyouko says, her voice a near snarl. Caren raises an eyebrow. Rin holds her friend's shoulder, as Ilya moves towards the door to call for the three inside.

"You know something, Kouhei _**Nishio**_." She growled, now angry. "_**WHO ARE YOU?**_"

Instinct? An answer please?"

The only answer I can find is: _**Come clean.**_

I relax, sighing. I rest my arms on the table, eyes looking down on the tablecloth. I look up again, this time brimming with some newfound confidence of my own, my emotions flaring as I'm backed into a corner. I won't let this girl show me up. If she can do it, then so can I.

I stand, a sly yet saddened grin on my face.

"Pleasure to reintroduce myself." I answer dryly, narrowing my own eyes with my patience lost.

"_**My name is Kouhei Takeda-Kotomine. I'm a lover of quiche. I'm a follower of the Eighth Sacrament, and an Executor-in-Training. I'm the apprentice of Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, Master of the Second Magic... I'm the biological son of Yuriko Takeda and the bastard Nishio who killed her. In many ways, Kyouko Takeda-Kotomine...**_"

My face has scrunched up into a full on glare.

"_**I. Am. You.**_"

* * *

><p><em><strong>POV: Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg<strong>_

Why do I have a feeling something is going on, and I should _**really**_ be there to fix it?

I shrug off my feelings of worry. They make me look and feel old. Perhaps that's an understatement; after all, with an age like mine under one's belt, most uncomfortable feelings have an extremely enhanced effect on my psyche. I feel _**old**_.

Or, all this emotionalism could be a result of nabbing a few handfuls of that strange trail mix found in my apprentice's pack.

My insides still feel a little tingly. But no matter, it tasted great! I loved the abundance of almond slivers, all the taste of almond without the energy required to chew the full nut. Though there was that strange coating that I figured was glaze… Maybe it was something else… But no matter, what's done is done. And I must get that recipe from Kouhei.

I take a look down at my quickly scrawled list of things needed to be done today. First, I needed to gather supplies. More food would be needed, survival equipment should be picked, and a steady stack of proper munitions should be gathered for my apprentice to use. After all, if he keeps transmuting dangerous materials like that without more experience in alchemy, he could end up hurting himself. I haven't had an apprentice with such a will to do things with his own two hands in quite a long time. With that in mind, I add a top-class first aid kit to the list of supplies.

He's definitely going to need it after I'm through with him.

Second, we'll need funds. I can afford to sell a few jewels in this city. Some diamonds here, rubies there, a sapphire somewhere, and I'll have enough money to probably buy a decently sized chunk of the city.

Third, I'll need to locate and decide on teachers. I've compiled a list of various individuals that would provide Kouhei with the skills he wants and needs to learn, that I can't teach him myself. Aozaki Touko is merely the first the extensive list of masters and peculiar people that can help my young apprentice succeed in his life. There are no guarantees that he'll l like them or the training they offer, but I believe in his choices. He's started off on the right foot and he is where he is now, completely due to said choices. I don't intend to throw a wrench into his life.

Maybe a screwdriver or a hammer or two, but nothing completely shattering…

Lastly, I need to visit a certain café. I've been dying to see a few friends of mine again. They'll be excited to see me for sure. It's something that I'm especially looking forward to.

These last few hours, I've simply been planning out the future and now I'm enacting the measures detailed in those plans. Steps numbers one to three can be done later. Now step four however, can be done right now. With a skip in my step, I eagerly stroll down the street I'm walking on, ignoring the looks of the locals as they stare at the tall foreigner bounding down their street with both a suspicious grin and a large cape fluttering behind his back.

A familiar, round, cast iron sign meets my eye as I approach the building it's attached to. I reach for the door.

And I enter the Ahnenerbe Café.

Now, the first thing that I smell is the scent of masterfully made coffee. Ah, my favorite place in the multiverse is where I stand right now. I walk across the wooden floors, admiring the western touches in the interior design. I sit in my usual seat, the one beside the front counter that the management have reserved for me for a literally indefinite time. I decide to wait for someone with the time to attend to my order, as I can hear the sounds of people working in the kitchens out of my sight. I set my cape on the back of the seat, taking a look around. Today, I seem to be the only one here at the moment. As a regular, I'm honestly not very surprised. I have an eye on the door, looking out for familiar people as I wait.

The sound of a glass tapping against the wooden counter.

"Zelretch, it's been a while."

I turn my head to find the seat beside me occupied with a glass of scotch placed on the counter in my direction. A grey furred hand clutching a bottle of scotch poured more of the drink into another glass, while another similarly furred hand clutches a lit cigar. My new companion, a grey, somewhat deformed cat-like human grinned at me from behind narrow eyes. A grin of my own is on my face, as I tap the little guy on the back of his black shirt in a greeting.

"It's nice to see you too, Chaos."

We both raise our glasses to each other in a toast and then drink them dry. With satisfied gasps, we slam the glasses back down onto the counter with an audible clatter. I'm far from being a lightweight, so something like this is nothing for me. Chaos has a similar expression as mine, a calm, contented look that states our pride in ourselves and our satisfaction with our surroundings the way they are now.

"Better not let Destiny see that." I nod off to the bottle of scotch. "Where is everyone else, anyway?"

"Cleaning up the kitchen and preparing for a group of our regulars. They should be arriving soon." Chaos replies, taking the bottle and stuffing it into a shelf right over and under the counter.

I raise an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Someone you'll be familiar with. He's bringing his family- he's started coming back more often after finally settling into a new house here." Chaos notes, "He's a rather successful man now, maybe _**not exactly**_ in his financial standings or career-wise, but he's surprisingly happy with his life. He's got a beautiful wife, and a young daughter."

I'm trying to compile a list of various family men I have met before. There was that one variant of Shirou Emiya, who, coupled with Tohsaka Rin, managed to produce a daughter. Then, there was also Shirou Emiya and Sakura Matou, with a daughter- or was it a son? I can't tell myself, he's/she's very effeminate. And then there was Shirou Emiya and- Wait a minute… Why are the majority of family men variants of Shirou Emiya? There was that one universe… Oh, I cannot forget that universe. I simply don't have many fond memories of it. Which is why I kinda went around a few universes sterilizing, neutering and even_** spaying**_ deserving Shirou Emiyas (both male and female) I came across, with a genocidal vigor.

Let it be said, my dealings with the _**Emiya Clan**_ weren't the most amicable.

But the way Chaos speaks of this man doesn't seem familiar at all. I can't think of anyone else other than the main players of these universes… Someone who was happy, good-looking enough to get a beautiful wife, but not having much luck in finances and/or a career… This sounds like a simple romance novel, a couple who fall in love and raise a family with only true love to fall back on.

"Oh, hello there!"

I turn my head to the entrance of the kitchen, smiling as I watch a pink furred NEKO spirit stroll into the room. "Destiny." I greet her, as Chaos waves her over.

"Have you seen our guests?" She asks Chaos. He shakes his head, turning his eyes towards the door to try and see if anyone was coming. No one was there just yet.

"Can you tell me whose coming?" I ask her, hoping for a more clear answer, perhaps some names to match unknown faces.

Destiny smiles along with Chaos, both of them clearly enjoying themselves as they watch me flounder around trying to figure out information they know, that I obviously don't.

"I'll give you a few clues then." Destiny giggles, hopping up on a seat across from Chaos and I. "First, he's kind, someone one can easily tell is suited to be a lover and a father with his attitude, skills, and personality. He may be useless or perhaps incompetent in some aspects of his life and skill set, but when dealing with others, maintaining relationships and building new ones, he's one of the best."

So, very empathetic, good with people even if he's not good with other aspects in his life… "Carry on." I tell her.

"He's moderately gifted with his skills, often shining after failing multiple times. He's rather stubborn, and he'll only back down when he knows it's absolutely hopeless to continue. He's also very shy, but once he reveals some sides of himself to people they find him charismatic, intelligent, and smooth, though not very confident." Chaos pitches in.

Given some thought, this man sounds somewhat like a variation of Shirou Emiya, give or take a few factors.

"He's remarkably courageous, and is a man who likes to take matters into his own hands. But he isn't completely against having people to help shoulder his burdens, since he'll immediately decide to help them shoulder their own."

Okay, that limits my choices a little.

"He's proud of what he can do, and proud that he tried to do what he could not. It took him a long time, many adventures, many trials and tribulations over the years, to forge him into the person he is today. He obviously regrets a few choices he's made, but he has nothing against where they have brought him." Destiny adds.

Chaos continues, "And a man he considers like another grandfather once told him: I believe in your choices. I believe that your choices have made you the man you are right now, and will make you the man you hope to be. I believe in your choices, in the accomplishments you have made and even the consequences that they have brought to you. I believe in your choices, and I myself am proud of them, proud of you. I'm proud of you and your family… You and _**our**_ family…"

"_**Because I'll believe in your choices, because I believe in you.**_"

Destiny concludes with a bright, face-splitting smile.

…

That sounds like something I _**might**_ say. But the thing is, I can't remember _**ever**_ saying those words, much less anyone I can think of saying them to. Now, that means I have never met this person, or due to the nature of this café, I have met them now, but they have changed over the events in a certain continuity of time. As the ward over the Second Magic, that theory was easily within plausibility. Now, what people have I met? I have a slight inkling of a feeling of who this might be, but I have some serious doubts. After all, that much character development can't happen in such a short time considering a variety of different factors thrown into the equation. It would take serious events to change his personality into the way Destiny and Chaos have described.

And for me to say those words… Some serious things might have happened in that continuity.

"Can I ask for one more clue? Maybe a more direct one?" I ask the two of them.

The two share a look. "Fine." Destiny smiles.

"The man we speak of has received your tutelage, and has managed to survive this long."

…

Honestly, I can easily count my successful apprentices with a single hand. There were the three who developed the Third Magic, one of whom became the successor to my own personal magic. Each of them however lived long ago and their descendents I no longer have anything to with, other than to screw with their lives at a healthy rate. There was another variation on that Kohaku girl, I'm not so sure she classifies as successful though… She was a peculiar girl at first, growing weirder by the second as she soaked up as much of my teachings as she could. She even went so far to think of herself and act like a "magical girl" of mundane fiction. I believe she goes by "_**Magical Amber**_" now…

And the last apprentice? Heck, I haven't even taught him anything yet, and I don't believe he could qualify as successful just yet. He's a novice in serious fields of both magic and life, and I've only known him for about a week! And this is the first variation of him that I've met, ever! He's unimportant, somewhat skilled, and not very successful… Actually, his ideal of success differs from mine. If success equals to career and skills, he's far from it.

If success equals to happiness in life, I'd consider him to be a rather happy individual. But the man coming can't possibly be him! It simply wouldn't make sense. The character described doesn't match him, and my experiences with character development prove that without some extreme circumstances, this won't happen. And extreme circumstances will not happen to my apprentice. I swear upon it!

Extreme circumstances have screwed over about 571 apprentices across the multiverse during my last century of life, but the streak shall change!

So final conclusion, this man can't possibly be Kouhei-

"_**Hello!**_"

The door swings open, and a young girl skips inside. Flowing purple hair dangles to her waist, tied up into a long braid behind her. She wears the outfit of a typical primary school girl, and is a picture perfect image of a giggly, happy student of her age. She's absolutely beaming with a childish innocence, smiling and laughing as she bounces over to a table. My eyes meet with hers and I catch their deep red color, as her fair face gives a calculating expression as she analyzes me. She rests her elbow on her arm and rubs her chin with her hand choosing to stare in my direction. She looks as if she recognizes me, the same way I seem to find her somewhat familiar.

The way she scrunches up her face is rather cute.

"Makina-chan!" Destiny squeals, quickly moving over to hug her. The girl squeals in the pink cat-person's grasp, hugging Destiny back as if she was a large stuffed animal. Considering her appearance, Destiny certainly fit the role. Destiny helps her up into a taller seat, handing her a menu. "Where are your parents? If you've run off ahead of them again, they must be worried."

"Daddy and Mommy walk too slow!" The girl, Makina, pouts.

"You'll give your old man a heart attack like that." Chaos jokes from where we sit.

I run a list of who this girl might be. If this is the daughter from an apprentice from a different continuity, this might be another Zelretch who managed to raise a successful apprentice. That theory would possibly work, if this little girl didn't seem so familiar. Maybe it's one of my surviving apprentices who've managed to pull their lives together after a training trip gone wrong. There are so many different possibilities, possibly going up to infinity due to the vastness of the multiverse, and there's the fact that Ahnenerbe can link to nearly every single one of them. Another factor would be this child's purple hair… Purple hair isn't familiar. I've never had an apprentice with purple hair before, so that must mean this child is adopted, or it's the color of the mother's hair. But I've also never had an apprentice pursuing romance while pursuing a magical education.

Well, maybe some have, but I haven't seen it.

Most of said apprentices didn't even wish to raise a family, only to raise their own abilities… But maybe… Just maybe… For all the right reasons, I can think of a few individuals that would possibly want a family of their own.

And one of them came with me to this world…

And he's-

"_**Hello? Anyone in here?**_"

I turn my head to the door, watching a young man come in. He's somewhat tall, lean too. A heavily scarred hand brushes away dark brown hair, and pushes up a pair of glasses that frame murky, hazel-brown eyes. He walks with a slight limp, his other hand gripping tightly onto a dark wooden cane. He's wearing a rather casual suit, nothing too fancy, but would look nice at a dinner party or something. He looks… Successful. Successful in life, successful with his career. If this is the man who Chaos and Destiny were describing, Makina's father, then he qualifies completely. A faint smile is on his face, as he takes a look around the café.

Behind him, a rather beautiful woman comes through the door and latches onto the man's arm. She's about a head shorter than him, with deep red eyes, and shockingly long purple hair, tied into a braid that dangles behind her head. She isn't familiar to me, but she bears a strong similarity to Makina. She's obviously the mother, so then, without a single doubt, the man she's holding onto lovingly has to be Makina's father. The man smiles at his wife, and quietly pecks her lips with his own. The woman has a faint giggle, and the two of them scan the room for their daughter. The wife quickly spots Makina, unhinging herself from her husband, and gracefully moving towards her daughter. The man however, takes another quick look around the café, his degree of vision planted squarely in my direction.

Our eyes meet.

Behind those hazel-brown orbs lies a man who's seen things, things beyond most common understanding. His eyes reflected experience, of _**all**_ kinds. The experience of a _**wise**_ man, a scientist, a magus, one who studied, who hunted, and continues to hunt for knowledge. The experience of a _**warrior**_, a combatant, a fighter, one who held his ground, and one who struggled to conquer more. The experience of a _**father**_, a lover, one who shelters, one who shields, to fight on all fields, in all ways, for a family he built on his own. I could see _**ice**_, numbness and unfeeling calculation. But then I could see _**fire**_, a burning determination and a roaring confidence.

I haven't seen such qualities since Tohsaka Nagato. But I've seen some of them recently, really recently. I can't believe it. It's hard to recognize, but it's there, in his features. That face, those eyes, the way he holds himself. The differences are severe, but the similarities are striking. I know who this is, and I can barely believe it. This man, is definitely one of my apprentices.

"_**Master?**_"

The man's smile curls into a full on grin. I gape.

"_**Kouhei?**_"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 3 Complete!<strong>_

_**Yes, I am leaving it on a cliffhanger. And the next chapter will come much sooner than you think. First of all, I need to prepare for the plot kicking into full storm. The base ideas are finally set in, and as of next chapter, character development, romance, plot, fanservice, MORE plot, and what is set to be a chapter that is twice as long, is coming up within the next week.**_

_**Now, I don't have much to say. I want to get some sleep, get the next chapter started, and then work towards my goal of getting the first major arc of this story done.**_

_**_**And so please, wish me luck, pray that life doesn't get in the way again, R/R, enjoy life, read great fiction, and let the creative juices flow. And not only for you lemon writers. Aw well. – EthernalRain**_**_


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